Hell Hath No Fury
by X-Keva-X
Summary: like a pissed off Sesshoumaru. It's up to Naraku to take care of the little 15yr old. However that's an issue when he keeps having very perverse fantasies about the boy and with having guardianship over him he just can't get rid of him... or could he? Fixed the name issues on chapter 17
1. Chapter 1

This fic was originally a fic for another fandom and was once upon a time posted there. However because that fandom as of late only seems to care about very particular character pairings and anything but those pairings aren't cared about I'm done with it... for now. Maybe I'll go back one day; who knows. But in the mean time I will convert this over to a Nar/Sess fic and go from there.

Now the warnings: there is under age stuff in this AND character OOC-ness. So if that's a problem for you well either don't read it or read it anyway even though you don't like that kind of stuff and keep your comments to yourself. Kay; thanks.

Well here we go. Thanks for reading in advance; much love for you all. Keva

xx

_My name is Sesshoumaru I just turned fifteen years old and I think I'm dying. I have gone to doctor after doctor after doctor and none of them know what is wrong with me. My last doctor dismissed me saying that I should seek therapy for my hypochondriasis. Maybe I am making this up maybe the pain I suffer from day after day is really all in my head maybe I do need psychiatric help._

_My father is the only support I have he knows he sees my pain and he wants answers even more than I do. My father was never one to smile or to be considered one of those men people would consider a fun guy. He always seemed to look like he was always thinking, plotting, planning, withdrawn but that's only to those who don't know him. My dad is actually very sociable… to me anyway and yet I can see that he is changing with my illness. He's becoming distant and angry not at me but at himself, the doctors, my mother._

_I know he blames her for my sickness even I blame her for it. My life was normal, happy, and healthy until about a month before she left before she walked away like my dad and I didn't matter, didn't exist… like we were nothing to her._

_We don't know why she left but we do know that during the month prior to her abandonment she nearly smothered me with attention. Always, in the words of my dad, henning over me. Then just a mere week before she left the problems began._

_It all started with what felt like a mild cold so I took the normal cold medications to help fight off the virus and after a week or so I was fine. Yet the symptoms came back to the point we thought I had the flu or possibly pneumonia. I went to the doctor they treated me for a mild case of pneumonia, sent me home with a prescription antibiotic, and I got better… for a few weeks anyway._

_Then the cold like symptoms came back but only the internal feelings of a cold the achy muscles, the exhaustion, and the stuffy head. Externally I looked fine, normal, healthy but I wasn't… I was suffering and so began my long journey of doctor visit after doctor visit._

_For a time we thought it was my way of dealing with my mother's abandonment and my father and I sought counseling to deal with the loss of my mother. But my illness didn't go away healing the mind did not heal the body._

_I'm not seeking attention I don't like attention I'm a solitary person and prefer to be alone. All I want is the internal pain to stop, I want to be normal, I want to be healthy, but above all that I want my dad to be happy. That way he can stop worrying about me and find someone who will love him like my mother once loved him._

"Do you now understand my concern?" Toga nodded to the dark haired man sitting behind the large desk between them. "My son is sick, no one believes him or me, and I fear that death will come to him by his own hands if something isn't done soon. You are our last hope."

Naraku set the copy of Sesshoumaru's journal down atop the boy's extremely thick medical file. He stared at the man across from him for a long silent moment before he spoke. "I will study his file, all test results, and see what I can determine. I will be in touch soon." He nodded.

Toga nodded in return then rose to his feet. "My son's life is in your hands." He sighed sadly. "Don't let him down." He then turned and left the room silently.

Naraku stared at the thick file in front of him and sighed deeply. "I will do what I can." He said to himself before he opened the file and began going through the five years worth of reports.

xx

Sesshoumaru rolled over onto his side and moaned quietly with his arms wrapped tightly around his midsection. He felt the side of his bed sink causing him to roll over and face the being sitting next to him.

Toga stroked his fingers through his son's silver hair and sighed sadly. "He has agreed to look at your records and attempt to find the cause of your pain."

Sesshoumaru snorted. "We've been to a hundred other doctors and they couldn't fix me and they all think it's in my head; he won't be any different."

Toga sighed deeply. "Just give him a chance. Maybe he will find something that the others couldn't or check something that hasn't been checked yet."

"What can he possibly check that hasn't been check yet?" He closed his eyes as another wave of pain shot through his abdomen. When the pain receded he looked up at his father with sad pain filled amber eyes. "He won't find anything just like the others didn't find anything." He sighed deeply. "I don't want to go through any more tests, no more doctors, and no more hospitals."

"I know son but please just see this one last doctor for me."

Sesshoumaru snorted. "You always say _this one last doctor_ and there's always another one after that."

Toga chuckled lightly. "I do always say that don't I?"

Sesshoumaru smiled up at his father and nodded. "But I'm used to it by now."

"Yes well I just want to get you better and since you are my son I will do whatever it takes to make sure you DO get better so you can live a normal, healthy, happy life." He mussed up his hair with a wiggle of his fingers.

"Don't do that." Sesshoumaru hissed as he slapped his father's hand away from his head.

Toga grunted. "If you go to this doctor I will never do it again."

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes. "You always say that too."

"I'm old it's expected." Toga smiled as he stood up, looked down at his son, and crossed his arms over his chest. "So will you go see this doctor?"

Sesshoumaru stared up at his father and knew as much as he didn't want to he would for his dad's sake. It was always for him that he suffered the poking, the prodding, the needles, the scans, and any other test the doctors could come up with. "Yes I'll go." He sighed.

"That's all I ask." He smiled lightly then held up his hand when Sesshoumaru opened his mouth. "Yes I know, I always say that as well. Maybe you will get sick of hearing me repeat myself all the time and just get better."

"If it was that easy I would be better already." Sesshoumaru flinched when another wave of pain shot through his body.

Toga sighed sadly as he watched his son suffer through his pain. "I will get you better then kill that woman for what she did to you." He growled.

Sesshoumaru nodded before he closed his eyes and tried to sleep the pain away.

xx

Naraku flipped through the medical text book trying to find the cause of Sesshoumaru's illness. He couldn't fathom why the young boy's test results were so dramatically different from doctor to doctor.

He trailed his finger down the through the tests starting from the first test on down and noted something strange. The first three doctor's had the same results for each test then each doctor the boy saw after that ended up with different results from that point on.

One test on his liver showed up positive for hepatitis then two months and a new physician later the exact same tests were ran and his liver showed up negative for hepatitis. All his tests were the same positive one time, negative the next, and inconclusive the very next. There was something missing in the puzzle that is Sesshoumaru Taisho and by damn he was going to find out what it was even if it killed him.

He picked the boy's overly thick medical file up and dropped it in the trash. He was going to start with the basics and dismiss all previous diagnosis, recommendations, test results, and the like. There were far too many inconsistencies, misread diagnosis, and in his opinion the whole lot of them were a bunch of useless simpletons.

He plucked the phone off its base and dialed the number for the Taisho household to have Sesshoumaru come in and see him as soon as possible so he could get a look at the boy.

xx

"Dad…"

Toga shook his head. "I do not want to hear it son. You will allow this doctor to examine you and perhaps he will find what is causing your symptoms."

"But…" Sesshoumaru sighed and deflated when his father gave him a hard stare. "Fine." He huffed then looked up at the door when it opened and in stepped a doctor carrying a thin file.

"Mr. Taisho." Naraku nodded towards the man sitting on the chair in the corner. "It's a pleasure to see you again."

Toga stood up, shook the doctor's hand, and nodded. "This is my son Sesshoumaru." He waved a hand towards the boy sitting on the examination table.

Naraku turned to face the boy. "I hear you haven't been feeling well." He smiled at the him as he held out his hand to him.

Sesshoumaru glared at the doctor. "Spare me the jokes."

"I see we don't much like jokes." Naraku said with an arch of his brow and dropped his hand away.

Deep ambers narrowed to thin little slits. "When you've heard them all a hundred times the funny just isn't there anymore." He snapped.

"Sesshoumaru!" Toga hissed. "You will not be disrespectful."

"Sorry dad." Sesshoumaru deflated.

Toga grunted then nodded at the doctor to continue.

Naraku looked from father to son and nodded at the boy. "I understand the hostility." He stood in front of the suddenly pale boy. "Am I to take it the symptoms have returned?" He slipped the stethoscope from around his neck, pressed the chest piece of the stethoscope against his chest, and listened to his heart beat before he moved to his back. "Take a deep breath for me."

Sesshoumaru did as he was told since this was nothing new and took another deep breath before his new doctor could ask him to do it again.

Naraku draped the stethoscope back around his neck before he pulled up the small stool and sat down in front of the boy sitting on the table. "Do you suffer from dizzy spells and erratic breathing?"

"Sometimes." Sesshoumaru nodded with a shrug.

"Do you get the feeling like you swallowed something and it's stuck in the middle of your chest causing a sharp pain to shoot down into your stomach?"

Sesshoumaru drew his brows in thought as he glanced over at his father before looking back at the doctor. "Sometimes." He nodded.

Naraku looked between father and son wondering what that was all about and didn't have to wait long for an answer.

"No one has ever asked me that before." Sesshoumaru again nodded.

Naraku arched a brow at the boy. "It is a pretty basic question when dealing with abdominal pain."

"So what do you think it is?" Toga questioned as he leaned towards the doctor slightly.

"Truthfully; I don't know yet." Naraku answered as he scribbled some notes down in Sesshoumaru's brand new file. He looked up at the boy. "This is just an initial exam. Now describe the pain you suffer from, is it like pressure, shooting, or stabbing?"

"None of them. It's more like my stomach is trying to rip itself out of my body from the inside out." He gave the doctor a small smirk. "Sometimes I imagine that there's a little man inside my stomach trying to rip his way out with a crow bar."

"Hmm…" Naraku hummed thoughtfully. "Sounds like an ulcer."

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "That test came up negative."

Naraku went back to writing down notes. "No; it came up negative four of the nine times you were tested for it. Three times it was positive and two times it was inconclusive." He looked up at the boy. "I must say the inconsistencies within your chart are astounding and utter nonsense."

"So what are you going to do?" Toga questioned with a glance at his son.

"We are going to start from scratch." Naraku rose to his feet, got a tongue depressor from the jar on the counter, plucked the magnifying light off the wall, and stood in front of Sesshoumaru. "Say ahh…"

Sesshoumaru opened his mouth and did as he was told while he glanced over at his father from the corner of his eye.

Toga smirked and shrugged as he looked at his son letting him know with his eyes that perhaps they had finally found a doctor that was going to figure out what was wrong with him.

A deep amber eye narrowed and a grunt escaped his throat.

Naraku removed the tongue depressor and went back to writing down in Sesshoumaru's chart. "I don't blame you for thinking that I'm no different from the other physicians you have been to see. I would think the same were I in your shoes." He smiled up at his patient. "Don't worry we'll get you fixed." He then looked over at Toga. "He will be admitted into the hospital today so I can monitor his vitals and get a base reading for them and then we'll go from there."

"What?" Sesshoumaru questioned wide eyed. "I don't want to go to the hospital!"

Naraku rubbed his chin with his knuckles. "I see we prefer the illness to a hospital. Very well it was a pleas…"

"No!" Sesshoumaru bit out cutting him off.

Naraku arched and elegant brow at the boy. "So you do wish for me to continue then?"

Sesshoumaru pressed his lips together. "Yes; I'll go to the hospital!" He hissed as he jumped off the table amber eyes glinting angrily.

"I'm not quite done with you." Naraku nodded. "Just a few more questions."

"Fine." Sesshoumaru huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Do you have any nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea?"

"All of them."

Naraku scribbled his answer down in his chart. "Any lethargy, erratic heart beats, or hyperglycemia?"

"Sometimes." The boy nodded.

"Hmm…" Naraku scratched down some more notes. "Once I have him in the hospital I'll have CT scan done and see if anything shows up."

"Do you have any idea what is wrong with him?" Toga questioned hopeful.

"I suspect it is some sort of metal poisoning but I can't be certain until I get a look at his insides and have some tests run."

"We will head over there straight from here." Toga nodded as he stood up ready to run his son across the parking lot and into the hospital.

"Very good." Naraku nodded at Sesshoumaru then turned to Toga.

"I will have my assistant call so they will be ready for him when he arrives."

Toga smiled at the doctor more hopeful than ever that his son was finally going to be cured. "How long do you expect him to be in the hospital?"

"I would say no more than two or three days." He nodded. "It depends on if I find anything that will need further inspection."

"Wonderful; I get to experience being a pin cushion again." Sesshoumaru hissed.

Toga sighed deeply understanding his son's anger so long the boy has had to suffer being poked and prodded and told that there is nothing wrong with him. "Well I certainly hope you can discover what ails him."

"I will do what I can." Naraku held his hand out to Toga.

Toga nodded and shook the doctor's hand. "Come boy let us get you to the hospital."

Sesshoumaru sighed in annoyance followed behind his father and gave the doctor a curt nod as walked towards the door.

Naraku gave a wink and a smile at the boy and nearly chuckled when he curled his lip in disgust at him. "Interesting little man." Naraku smirked to himself once the two were out of sight.


	2. Chapter 2

"Would you knock that crap off?" Toga growled at his son.

Sesshoumaru snorted and continued to flip through the television channels never really stopping long enough for either of them to see what was on and when he reached the end of the cycle he started all over again.

"Give me that!" Toga finally lost his patience and snatched the control from his son's hand. "Sometimes I swear you were swapped at birth and my real son is out there waiting for me to come save him."

"Yea dad love you to." Sesshoumaru huffed as his hand went to his stomach and applied pressure against the pain. "Not the news." Sesshoumaru groaned miserably when the distinct sound of his father's favorite news caster Jaken Morimoto's voice boomed from the box on the wall.

"I like him." Toga grinned knowing how Jaken's voice seemed to irritate his son.

"Why?" Sesshoumaru sneered. "He's a liar and a fake trashing people just for the sake of getting good ratings. They should can him."

"He's good at what he does." Toga nodded.

"Shit I could do better and without even trying." The boy in the bed nodded. "Ow!"

Toga glared deadly at his son. "What have I told you about your language?"

Sesshoumaru rubbed his head where his father thumped him. "What? That's not a bad word it's a bodily function."

"Not when it's used that way it isn't." Naraku smirked from the doorway before he walked into the room. "Have they been in here to check on you?" He questioned the boy in the bed as he sat on the edge by his feet.

"Of course; the first thing they did was poke me with as many needles as they could find." Sesshoumaru nearly snarled. "I think they get some sick pleasure in stabbing people."

"It's the tools of the trade." Naraku waved his hand through the air.

Sesshoumaru snorted irritably. "So what now? You want a turn in stabbing me to death?"

Toga rolled his eyes at his son's behavior. "Oh to have the son of so long ago back." He grunted. "You know," he stared at Naraku. "it wasn't so long ago that my son here was just a happy kid without an ounce of hostility. Now I fear my real son has been stolen and an imposter had been put in his place." He nodded.

"Quit talking about me like I'm some fraud or accidentally swapped at birth." Sesshoumaru glared at his father. "I am YOUR son! Not some worm that crawled out of the ground ate your real baby and morphed into an imposter of your son."

Naraku cocked a brow at Toga in question.

Toga shrugged. "It makes him forget the pain."

"I see." Naraku nodded.

"What?" Sesshoumaru hissed as he looked between his father and the doctor.

"Nothing son." Toga patted his silver head and chuckled when Sesshoumaru slapped his hand away and glared at him.

"Don't you need to go to work or something?" The boy hissed.

Toga looked at his watch. "Not for another hour or so; why? Trying to get rid of me?"

"Yes." Sesshoumaru answered curtly. "Why don't you go in early and fire that bastard Koga instead of sitting here… Ow! Stop that!"

"Language boy; I'm not going to tell you again." Toga growled.

"Well he is a bastard." Sesshoumaru hissed under his breath as he rubbed his head.

Naraku shook his head lightly and smirked at father and son. "Alright; let's get you downstairs for your CT and see what we can find." He said then pressed the nurse's call button.

"Yes?" The female voice came over the speaker.

"This is doctor Cactus; can you please have Taisho in room 4E prepped and taken down to CT?"

"Yes doctor." The nurse responded.

"Cactus?" Sesshoumaru smirked with an arched brow.

"Aww…" Naraku smirked in return. "they have taken to calling me Dr. Cactus since most of them can't pronounce Caractacus properly."

"What is that Scottish?" Sesshoumaru questioned with his head cocked slightly to the side.

"Close." Naraku nodded. "It's Gaelic."

Deep amber eyes narrowed upon the doctor. "Let me guess; your father was some brutish highland Scot that powered his way into Japan and stole away some poor farmer's daughter with the end result being you."

"Sesshoumaru!" Toga hissed darkly.

"Intriguing." Naraku chuckled. "Quite the imagination you have there."

"Romance novels." Toga shook his head.

"Stop telling people that!" Sesshoumaru hissed. "They're not romance novels they're action/adventure novels that have a little love story hidden within."

"And they're called romance novels." Toga smirked.

Sesshoumaru scowled at his father but remained silent.

"I see." Naraku grinned hugely. "Well I have to say you aren't too far off. However my mother was the brutish Scot that powered her way into Japan, kidnapped some poor unsuspecting bank manager, and had her way with him. Which ended with me nine months later."

"Then why don't you have a Japanese last name?" Sesshoumaru demanded.

"Because my mother was a brutish Scot." Naraku answered simply. "Everything was her way or no way."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes even further. "Your story doesn't make any sense. You have a Gaelic last name but an English accent you hail from Scotland yet you look Japanese."

"Well I am just like my father." Naraku nodded. "Look, act, and sound just like him."

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes at the doctor. "You are a pathetic liar."

Naraku grinned at him. "Perhaps." He nodded then looked over at the door and stood up when the nurses entered. "Well; I see its time to get going." He looked over at Toga. "He will be a while you are welcome to remain here if you'd like."

Toga shook his head. "No I have to get to work. Someone has to pay for all these medical bills." He smiled a sad smile before placed a kiss to the top of Sesshoumaru's head. "Call me when you're done and let me know how it went."

"Okay." Sesshoumaru nodded sadly.

Toga smiled down at his son. "Don't worry; I'll be back first thing in the morning and I'll even bring you your favorite breakfast."

Sesshoumaru smiled up at his father. "Thanks."

"Right; well I will see you both later." He nodded at them. "Take care of my son."

"He's in good hands." Naraku nodded and smiled over at Sesshoumaru. "Though I don't think he believes so."

Toga smirked at that. "He's a little pretentious and takes some getting used to."

"I am not." Sesshoumaru partially growled and partially pouted as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Alright I'll see you in the morning."

"Don't forget my hell bag." Sesshoumaru called.

"Yes of course; could never forget that." He grunted then left the room.

"Hell bag?" Naraku questioned with an arched brow.

Sesshoumaru shifted and glared at the nurse when she pulled the railing up and nearly hit him in the arm with it. "Yes it contains all the things I need to survive hell holes such as this one."

Naraku chuckled. "This place isn't so bad."

"You're not the one stuck in this bed." Sesshoumaru hissed. "So how would you know? At least you get to go home while I'm stuck here playing guinea pig to you and all your lackeys."

Naraku followed the bed as the nurses wheeled the bed with the boy out into the hall. "Let's see if we can make this the last time you ever have to be stuck in this hell hole."

Sesshoumaru grunted. "I highly doubt you will." He glared as he watched the lights pass by overhead in the hall. "There have been many before you. What makes you so sure that you will succeed where they failed?"

Naraku stopped at the elevators and looked down at the boy in the bed. "Because I believe I know what is wrong with you."

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes. "If I only had a nickel…"'

"A bet then?"

Sesshoumaru arched a brow at the doctor before he was suddenly rolled onto the elevator. "What do you mean a bet?"

"If my guess as to what is ailing you is correct then you will give me that nickel and if I am wrong then…"

"You will tell me the truth about your parents." Sesshoumaru cut him off.

"It's a deal." Naraku nodded more than certain that he was going to win this bet. He had a pretty good idea what was causing the boy such ill and really shocked that no one ever thought of it before. It was rather simple after all you just had to know what to look for.

xx

"Alright; just lay still and this will only take a second." The nurse patted him on the chest.

"Just get on with it already." Sesshoumaru growled. "I hate these things and telling me it's only going to take a second is making it last a second longer than it needs to be."

"Yes and all your complaining is making it last minutes longer." The nurse hissed under her breath as she walked away.

"Alright; are you ready?"

"For the hundredth time yes!" Sesshoumaru growled into the speaker.

"Lively lad isn't he?" Naraku chuckled to the nurses standing around him who all either groaned or glared at him. "Alright let's do this and get him out of there."

They ran the scanner over him and watched intently as the image began to appear on the screen. "Hmm…" Naraku smirked with a rub to his chin.

"Everything looks normal." Kei pointed out with a nod.

"Does it?" Naraku questioned with an arched brow. "Perhaps you should have your eyes checked."

Kei glowered at the doctor then looked a second time and shook his head. "I don't see anything wrong."

"Are you certain?" Naraku questioned as he stared at him.

"Yes; there is nothing wrong with his liver." Kei growled growing quite tired of this.

Naraku sighed and shook his head. "So the size does not concern you then."

Kei stared at the screen and shrugged. "It's a little enlarged but nothing to concern yourself with."

Were he one to do such a thing he would have rolled his eyes at the doctor. "Really how did you manage to get past medical school?" Naraku sighed in annoyance.

Kei huffed. "And I am telling you there is nothing wrong with that boy. I've heard all about him and he's nothing but a hypochondriac."

"No; once again you are wrong." Naraku growled. "He isn't a hypochondriac he is suffering from acute iron poisoning; hence why his liver is swollen."

Kei looked from Naraku to the screen and back again. "You're full of it; there is no way you can determine that just from looking at his liver."

"True but I can tell based on his symptoms along with his enlarged liver."

"It's not enlarged." Kei sighed irritably.

"You can't be serious." Naraku snorted. "Look based on his height, weight, and age his liver shouldn't be that large. It is slowly swelling because it's not filtering out all of the iron from his body."

Kei looked intently at the picture of the boy's liver and had to admit that it was rather large for someone of Sesshoumaru's size. "So that is all that is wrong with him then? Iron poisoning?"

"Exactly," Naraku nodded. "but to make one hundred percent certain I will wait for the lab results to get back." He smirked up at his doctor friend. "I am more than certain that they will come back positive for iron."

Kei rolled his eye and shook his head. "Leave it to you to think of the one thing no one would have ever thought of. How do you always do that?"

Naraku chuckled. "Because I love a challenge and when you've tried everything else it's time to look at what you haven't tried or thought about." He suddenly smirked, "Plus it's a good way to win a bet."

Kei frowned as he glared at his long time friend. "I will have your money for you if the tests come back positive for iron." He growled before he turned and left the room.

Naraku chuckled as he watched him go before he turned to the mic on the desk. "Are you ready to go back to your room?"

"Of course." Sesshoumaru growled.

"Well we have to do just one more thing then you will be back in your room before you know it."

Sesshoumaru looked over at the window and glowered at the doctor. "And what would that be?" He demanded.

"I would like to do a biopsy on your liver." Naraku smirked at him.

Sesshoumaru flopped down onto his bed. "Fine! Just get it over with." He hissed.

Naraku shook his and left the room. Never had he met anyone so pissy in his whole life and he had to wonder if Sesshoumaru was that way because of all his previous experiences with the medical community or was he just born that way?

xx

"Okay are you ready?" Naraku questioned the boy in the bed.

Sesshoumaru stared hard at the doctor. "How bad is it going to hurt?"

Naraku shrugged. "It depends on your pain tolerance. If you cry like a girl from a bee sting then I can assure you that his is going to be very painful."

Sesshoumaru snorted as he rolled his eyes. "So are you going to drug me up for this or what?"

"No; just a little numbing of the skin, a small stick with a needle and before you know it it will be done."

"Really? That's all it is?" Sesshoumaru questioned slightly shocked.

"That's it." Naraku nodded and smirked at him. "Now just relax."

Sesshoumaru nodded his head and stared up at the ceiling waiting for the pain that was sure to come. Based on his previous experiences and boy did he have a ton of them most doctors seemed to enjoy causing him as much pain as possible. He didn't know if they were doing it on purpose or if he actually had to suffer like that for the tests they ran him through but either way he hated them all for it. Yet this doctor; Dr. Caractacus thus far had been different then the rest and didn't treat him like he was some kind of liar and going through all of this just for the sake of getting attention.

"There all done." Naraku grinned.

Sesshoumaru snapped his eyes wide as he looked at the doctor. "Really? That didn't hurt at all."

Naraku patted him on the shoulder. "All the poking with needles you've gone through must have gotten you immune to it. Let's get you back upstairs and I will be up to talk to you shortly. "

"You know what is wrong with me; don't you?"

Naraku nodded his head. "I believe you are suffering from iron poisoning."

Sesshoumaru's eyes went wide. "How?"

"That is what I will discuss with you." Naraku nodded with one more pat to his shoulder. "I will see you soon." With that he left the room.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey dad." Sesshoumaru smiled on the phone. "Did you fire that bastard yet?"

"Remind me to knock you a good one for your filthy mouth." Toga growled. "So what did the doctor say?"

Sesshoumaru sighed. "He says he thinks I am suffering from iron poisoning."

"Iron poisoning? From what?"

"I don't know." Sesshoumaru shrugged not that his father could see him. "He's suppose to come and talk to me about it. They did a biopsy on my liver to run some tests I guess to verify that it is iron poisoning."

"Well let me know what he says when he comes to talk to you."

"I will." Sesshoumaru nodded. "Hey dad…" He started in a small whisper.

"What is it son?"

"You don't think mom did this to me; do you?"

Toga pressed his lips together and glowered at his desk. "I truly don't know." He sighed. "I don't know what your mother was doing to you before she left. But she's been gone for some time now and unless she is making secret visits to you I don't think she is to blame for this."

"I guess." Sesshoumaru nodded.

"Don't worry son; your mother isn't here and she's not going to do anything to you." Toga comforted. _'And if she does show up I'll kill her.' _He thought with a growl. "I have to get back to work I'll see you in the morning."

"Okay dad. Love you." Sesshoumaru sighed.

"Love you too. Bye."

"Bye." Sesshoumaru hung up the phone and sighed deeply. He didn't know why but he was sure his mother was to blame for him being in this mess but he just couldn't figure out how.

xx

Several hours later just as the sun was beginning to set Naraku walked into his patient's room. "So how are you feeling this evening?"

Sesshoumaru looked up at the doctor. "I'm in the hospital with this muck you call food." He pointed at the tray sitting on the table next to the bed that had yet to be touched. "How do you think I'm doing?"

"Yes I suppose it does leave a lot to be desired." He nodded. "That's why I bring my own in."

"Well aren't you the smart one." Sesshoumaru grunted with a glare at him. "So what did you find out?"

Naraku smirked at him as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "As it turns out you are suffering from acute iron poisoning. However what I find to be rather strange is that you have been ingesting the metal continuously. Most who suffer from such a thing are children under five that have swallowed iron based products but in your case you have been ingesting it for quite some time." He nodded at him. "I'm surprised that you haven't either fallen into a coma or had your liver collapse by now."

Sesshoumaru stared at him with wide eyes. "Where would I get it from to eat it? I eat the same foods anyone else does so how can I be ingesting it?"

"That is what I am here to find out." Naraku nodded. "A few simple questions and we may be able to determine where in your diet it's coming from. We'll start with the basics." He grinned. "Since we've determined you aren't on any medications we'll move to non-prescribed meds. What over the counter medications do you take; aspirins, vitamins, and anything of the like."

Sesshoumaru shrugged. "I don't really take anything but my multivitamin in the morning and two herbal pills at night before I go to bed."

Naraku drew his brows. "Herbal pills; what kind?"

"I don't know." Sesshoumaru nodded. "They come in a brown prescription like bottle I get them every month through the mail."

"You don't know what they are but you order them through the mail?" Naraku questioned aghast.

"No; my mom ordered them for me and told me to take them everyday right before bed. After she left they kept coming and so I keep taking them." He furrowed his brows. "As a matter of fact I just got a new bottle of them the other day."

"What does it say on the bottle?"

Sesshoumaru pressed his lips together as he thought about it. "Multi herbal supplement; I think."

"Where do they come from?" Naraku narrowed his eyes.

"I think they come from somewhere in South America I'm not sure never really paid much attention."

Naraku widened his eyes slightly. "I want those pills." He nodded. "Call your father and have him bring them to me as soon as possible along with anything else you take."

Sesshoumaru nodded. "Okay."

"Now you say your diet is normal; correct?"

"Yea." Sesshoumaru again nodded.

"You don't work with metals or anything as a hobby or for work; do you?"

Sesshoumaru stared at him like he was a complete fool. "No." He bit out.

"I take it that question offends you." Naraku smirked. "You want to tell me why?"

"Basically you are asking me if I eat iron in my free time." He rolled his eyes deeply. "Yep that's what I do I go around eating anything made of iron especially dimes and nickels."

"Dimes and nickels are mostly copper with a little nickel in them." He nodded. "They contain no iron so you can't possibly be swallowing nickels and dimes." He smirked.

"Don't you have other patients to harass with your useless knowledge?" Sesshoumaru bit out.

Naraku arched a brow. "Do you dislike my company?"

"Company?" Sesshoumaru snorted. "You are asking me if I eat metal as a past time I would hardly call that casual conversation. You are my doctor not my friend." He pointed sharply at him.

"So it would seem." Naraku nodded as he rose to his feet. "Well in that case I will see you in a few days to check your status have your father drop those vitamins off at my office as soon a possible."

"What? That's it?" Sesshoumaru questioned in shock.

"Pardon?" Naraku stared at him.

"You're done with me just like that?"

Naraku continued to stare at the boy with slightly furrowed brows. "What more are you expecting?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged his shoulder. "I don't know. I guess I'm just not used to doctors showing so much concern over me." He bowed his head and fingered the bandage on his stomach. "I guess I'm just waiting for you to tell me that I should seek therapy and to stop being such a hypochondriac."

Naraku sat back down on the corner of the bed and stared at the boy. "You're not a hypochondriac nor do I believe you need therapy. You are a boy that slipped through the cracks of medical science and was misdiagnosed far too many times. Your condition is very rare and because of such no one ever bothered to look for it instead they just dismissed you." He patted his leg. "Don't worry; you are a perfectly normal fifteen year old boy that has his whole life ahead of him."

Sesshoumaru cocked his head to the side and stared intently at the doctor. "You think I'm a boy?"

At that Naraku's eyes widened slightly and his brows rose nearly to his hairline. "You take offense to being called a boy? That is what you are; are you not?"

"My dad calls me that." Sesshoumaru sighed. "It's his way of keeping me young forever." He stared silently at his doctor for a long moment before he turned and looked out the window. "You are my doctor; I guess I would be Mr. Taisho."

Naraku was getting the distinct feeling there was something the boy wanted to say but for some reason couldn't or wouldn't. "Am I missing something?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "No." He once again locked his deep ambers with Naraku's dark browns. "Thank you for healing me."

"You're welcome." Naraku nodded with deeply furrowed brows. He had no doubt there was something missing here and he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. "There is something else; something you aren't telling me."

"It's not really important nor is it your concern." Sesshoumaru nodded then picked up the controller, turned on the TV, and began flipping through the channels at a rate of one channel a second.

If he had ever heard a dismissal out of someone he had certainly just heard one loud and clear out of the boy in the bed. Suddenly a realization came to him and a small smirk played on his lips. "You don't like being alone in here do you?"

Sesshoumaru stopped flipping through the channels and stared up at his doctor. "No." He nodded curtly then returned to his channel flipping. "However since I am just a mere patient whether or not I like being stuck alone in here is not your concern. You have other patients to worry about and more important things to do."

Naraku just stared at him for a long silent moment in thoughtful contemplation before he looked at his watch then back at the boy in the bed. "Very well." He nodded. "I will see you shortly." With that he turned and left the room.

xx

"Is this normal behavior for doctors?" Sesshoumaru questioned suspiciously.

Naraku shrugged slightly as he shuffled the cards. "Doubtful; does it matter?"

Sesshoumaru sighed deeply. "I guess not. I just find it odd that you are spending your free time in here playing cards with me. Don't you have a wife and kids waiting on you or friends that you would rather spend your time with?"

Naraku shook his head lightly as he continued to shuffle. "No."

"Now what are you hiding?" Sesshoumaru leveled him with a hard stare.

A devious smirk played on Naraku's lips. "Nothing more then what you are hiding." He then began dealing out the cards. "Hold now…" He ordered when Sesshoumaru reached for his cards.

Sesshoumaru looked up at him. "What?"

"How about we make this game a little more interesting?"

Deep amber eyes glinted and an evil grin pulled on his lips as he stared at his doctor. "Let's make this really interesting." He nodded slowly.

Naraku arched a brow at him. "What do you have in mind?"

Sesshoumaru arched his own brow in a challenge. "One hand; if I win you will tell me what you are hiding about yourself."

"Very well; and if I win you tell me what you are hiding." Naraku countered.

"I'm not hiding anything."

"You are not a very good liar." Naraku nodded already knowing he was going to win this game.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes upon the doctor. "What makes you think I am hiding something?"

Naraku snorted. "You have been in the hospital multiple times and I am supposed to believe that you are afraid of being alone in here?"

"I never said I was afraid." Sesshoumaru countered smartly.

"Yes but you never said you weren't. Plus," he stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I believe there was something you wanted to tell me but couldn't."

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes. "Hardly." He snorted. "You made assumptions about what I was thinking and you were wrong. I just didn't want to be alone my dad has ALWAYS been with me." He sighed sadly. "But because of all my hospital bills and doctors visits the insurance company dropped me and now my dad has work a second job to pay the bills." He sighed sadly as his eyes became glassy.

Naraku stared at the boy silently for a long moment before he reached out and gently caressed his cheek with the backs of his fingers. He watched as Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and leaned into the touch. He continued to stroke his cheek gently as he leaned in and pressed his lips to the pale pinks of his little patient.

Sesshoumaru sighed lightly parting his lips and allowed the hot powerful tongue entry into his mouth. He gently swirled his tongue against the appendage in his mouth as he locked his hands tightly onto Naraku's black dress shirt.

Naraku tangled his fingers into the boy's long silver hair and leaned further into him wanting to get closer to feel every inch of his body pressed against his own.

"So are we going to play or are you going to just sit there and stare at me?" Sesshoumaru huffed in irritation.

Naraku gave a small shake of his head. "Of course." He didn't know what that was about and he certainly didn't like it.

Sesshoumaru stared at the doctor dubiously. "Now what is wrong with you?" He demanded.

A dark brow arched as he smirked at the boy. "I'm just thinking about how I am going to beat you."

Deep ambers rolled deeply. "Rather sure of yourself." He suddenly smirked darkly. "Let's take this up a notch." He nodded towards the remaining cards in the deck. "Deal out the rest."

The doctor didn't question what the boy was thinking he wanted to see just where he was going with this. Once the last card was dealt he looked at his patient and waited.

"Okay." Sesshoumaru nodded as he stacked his cards neatly in his hand. "Now; three cards down highest third card wins and winner gets one question, loser answers honestly."

"Interesting." Naraku's eyes glinted. "Very well; let's play this game of yours." He nodded.

Sesshoumaru nodded and placed his three cards down then watched as Naraku placed his three.

"Well", Naraku smirked. "lucky lady queen of spades looks like I win this round."

Sesshoumaru snorted. "So what's your question?"

Naraku stared at him thoughtfully before he opened his mouth and out came his question but it wasn't the one he wanted to ask. "Do you have a girlfriend?" Now why in the hell would he ask such a thing?

A brow arched at that as ambers widened slightly. "Why are you asking?"

"That is not how the game is played." Naraku pointed out. "I ask you answer; you can ask your question when you win."

"Fine," Sesshoumaru bit out. "the answer is no."

"Why not?"

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and pointed at the doctor. "No; that's not how the game is played. You said so yourself."

"Very well." Naraku nodded. "Play your hand."

The young patient turned his three cards and waited for Naraku to turn his cards. "Alright; what were you thinking about after I told you about my dad?"


	4. Chapter 4

It was a good think he was able to keep his face completely blank and unreadable otherwise the answer would have most likely shown all over his face. "A patient and the mystery of his ailment." He said like it meant nothing.

"Liar." Sesshoumaru accused.

"Oh; what makes you so certain of that?" Naraku countered.

"I can see it all over your face." He pointed at the doctor with an accusatory finger. "You make a terrible liar."

Either this kid was bluffing or he could actually read him that well; he was really hoping for the former. "I can assure you that I'm not a liar." He nodded. "I was thinking about a patient and his strange ailment." He smirked. "I was wondering how someone could poison their own child and cause such pain for her own family."

Sesshoumaru stared at him. "Me." He said flatly still unsure if he was lying or not.

Naraku nodded and smirked at him.

"Fine; draw your cards." He ordered still suspicious of the doctor.

Naraku turned his cards then watched as Sesshoumaru turned his. "Why don't you have a girlfriend?"

"You are way too interested in my love life." He stared at his doctor like he was some kind of child molester or at the very least a pervert.

"Just casual conversation." Naraku shrugged.

"I would hardly call my love life a casual conversation." Sesshoumaru pointed out.

Naraku smirked. "You are avoiding answering the question."

"Fine." He bit out. "I don't have a girlfriend because I don't want one and the ones I have dated only care about other boys, make-up, hair," he waved a dismissive hand through the air. "all that girl crap; I find it annoying."

"Hmm… Perhaps when you are older you will find them a little less annoying." Naraku nodded.

Sesshoumaru grunted. "I highly doubt that. Young or old it's always the same thing. They have no depth." He ended the conversation by flipping his cards. "Turn yours." He ordered curtly.

Naraku chuckled and flipped his cards. "So do you plan on staying single for the rest of your life?"

"Can't you ask me about something else?" He hissed.

"Answer the question. This is your game after all." Naraku pointed out.

Sesshoumaru sighed deeply. "I don't know. Maybe if I find someone that understands me and isn't so…" he drew his brows. "frivolous?"

"Understands you? Are you so complicated?" Naraku questioned with an arched brow.

"No I wouldn't say I'm complicated just different." He sighed.

Naraku stared at him. "Different how?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged. "I don't know. I just never felt like if fit in with anyone. The kids at school always either made fun of me or stayed away from me like I carried some kind of disease." He sighed deeply.

"High school isn't easy sometimes." Naraku nodded. "That's a time in life when kids are really breaking out and becoming their own person; trying to define their own identity."

"Yea; I'm just glad I don't have to go there anymore." He nodded. "I can't stand them; their behavior is so childish."

Now that really confused him. "What do you mean you don't have to go anymore? Did you drop out?"

Sesshoumaru smirked. "No I didn't drop out. I tested out and if I wanted I could start college this summer."

"Impressive." Naraku nodded shocked and truly impressed with the boy.

Sesshoumaru grunted. "It would be if I was actually going to go." He nodded as he sighed sadly.

"Why…" he stopped as it clicked in his head. "the hospital bills." He answered himself and watched as the boy nodded his head sadly.

"My mother wanted to destroy my dad's life and she succeeded." He sighed deeply. "And nearly at the cost of my life."

Naraku pressed his lips together tightly and could feel the disgust welling up for the woman that would go so far to destroy a man's life. This poor boy was nothing more than a tool to his own mother and it was costing him everything. "You will go to college." He nodded with conviction like the words themselves would make it happen.

"How? Should I rob a bank?" Sesshoumaru snorted. "We can't afford it; so I will get a work release from the school and go to work to help pay for MY hospital and doctors bills."

Naraku shook his head. "I think you should reconsider school."

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "You just don't get it; do you? For a doctor you're not very smart."

"Actually I think it takes quite a lot of smarts to be a doctor." He narrowed his eyes slightly.

Sesshoumaru scowled at him for a moment before continuing. "How can I go to school when we can't afford it? What part of not having enough money for school and bills do you not understand?" Sesshoumaru bit out.

"I understand it perfectly." Naraku nearly growled. "There are options to…"

"No." Sesshoumaru held his hand up to silence the doctor. "I am not going to take on more bills that my dad can't pay through loans and the like just to go to school. This isn't just about me; it's about my dad and I'm not going to make him suffer any more then he already has."

"What about a grant?"

"Okay look." Sesshoumaru sighed getting rather annoyed with this whole conversation. "There are no guarantees that I will get in. I'm not going and that is final. There's nothing you or anyone else can say that will change my mind." He bit out.

"Very well." Naraku nodded. "We won't talk about it anymore."

"Good." Sesshoumaru nodded curtly. "Now; you will tell me the truth about your parents." He demanded.

Naraku smirked. "There is nothing to tell."

Sesshoumaru glared coldly at the man. "Again you are a terrible liar. If you don't want to tell just say so." He nodded. "Or it's you have nothing to tell because nothing interesting happened and you just like to confuse people and make them think you are more interesting then you really are."

This kid was rather intriguing and thus far had shown higher intelligence then most adults. It was rather amazing that the boy could tell when he was lying as he spent nearly all his life perfecting keeping his face as blank as possible so that none could tell what he was thinking. Yet this Sesshoumaru could see right through him like he was made of water it was kind of unnerving on one hand and on the other it frustrated him as it was rather difficult to get something past this kid.

"You've caught me." He smirked testing to see if Sesshoumaru would see right through him.

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "Pathetic; anyone with half a brain can tell that you are lying… again."

"Oh?" Naraku arched a brow in question. "How so?"

"You try too hard to hide the truth so it shows up on your face." He shook his head.

"Interesting." Naraku nodded and collected the cards. "Let's put your theory to a test; shall we?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged. "If you need to prove something then by all means go ahead."

_'Cocky little brat.'_ Naraku growled to himself. "Alright five cards, no wilds, no low hands."

Sesshoumaru nodded. "Okay."

"Good." Naraku smirked as he shuffled and dealt the cards. He was going to show this boy what having a poker face was all about.

xx

Sesshoumaru looked up at the man who suddenly walked in the door and smiled. "Hey dad."

Toga walked over to the bed and mussed up Sesshoumaru's hair. "How are you doing today?" He questioned as he set the bag with the pills on the table next to the bed and sat down in the chair.

"Better" Sesshoumaru smiled. "a lot better."

Toga smiled back at his son. "Well that's good. So when do you get to come home?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged. "I don't know; no one has said anything yet." He looked over at his father. "When Naraku gets here you can ask him."

"Naraku?" Toga questioned with an arched brow.

"My doctor." He nodded.

Toga stared at his son. "You have taken to calling him Naraku?"

"He insisted." He snorted. "Something about everyone calling him mister and for once he wanted to be called by his name. He's kind of weird." He nodded.

Toga drew his brows. "You seem rather well acquainted with this doctor."

Sesshoumaru shrugged. "After he got off work he came in here and we played cards for awhile." He sighed. "I didn't… well… you know."

"Right," Toga nodded. "I'm sorry I couldn't be here with you."

"It's okay. I'm sorry that you have to work so much to take care of me." He turned and looked out the window. "It's not fair that mom did this and now you have to pay for it."

Toga sighed deeply. "It's not your fault." He slowly shook his head. "And I have told you to stop worrying about that."

Sesshoumaru huffed indignantly. "How can I not?" He growled darkly. "You have to work two jobs because of what that bitch di… Ow! Hey!"

"Boy I swear if you don't watch that mouth I'm going to scrub it out with steel wool and comet."

Sesshoumaru rubbed his head and glowered at his father. "Well it's true; she is one."

"Be that as it may it doesn't give you the right to talk like a filthy whore." Toga glared at his son. "And you will stop worrying about the bills they are not your concern."

"But…"

"I mean it boy." Toga narrowed his eyes upon his son.

"Fine." Sesshoumaru bit out as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"That's my boy." Toga shook his head. "Throw your fit so we can all get on with our day." He then chuckled at the death glare his son cast him.

"I hate it here." He growled as he shifted uncomfortably in the bed.

"Has it been that miserable?" Toga smirked.

"Awful" Sesshoumaru answered in all seriousness. "I'm bored, the food su… is terrible," he corrected when his father stared hard at him. "And I just want to be at home."

"Well you will be soon enough." Toga smiled. "However until then maybe this will help pass the time." He held up a bag and nearly laughed when Sesshoumaru snatched it out of his hand.

"You remembered." Sesshoumaru grinned as he opened the bag and dug out his books. "What's this?" He questioned when he pulled out a large manila envelope.

"It came in the mail yesterday." He sighed deeply readying himself for the fit that was about to come. "I want you to do it."

Sesshoumaru stared hard at his father knowing full well what was in the envelope. "We can't afford it." He hissed and flung the envelope to the floor.

"That is not your concern." Toga growled. "You will do it whether you want to or not and I will not hear any disagreements out of you."

"No!" Hard ambers narrowed. "I won't do it!"

Toga ground his teeth together and worked his jaw furiously. "It's not an option."

"You can't make me." Sesshoumaru hissed and crossed his arms over his chest defiantly.

"I can." Toga nodded curtly. "And I will. You my boy are still a minor as much as you don't like it and as such you will do as I tell you. You are going to school and I will not hear one single argument out of you." He glared hard at his son when he opened his mouth. "I mean it Sesshoumaru; not one word."

"Fine!" He huffed.

"I bet." Toga grunted knowing full well that this battle was far from being over. So to take his mind off of it he changed the subject to something he knew would send Sesshoumaru into a fit. He was always amazed at how bitchy his son could be and sometimes thought that the boy should have been a girl. "Koga says hi and hopes that you get well soon." He nearly laughed out at the indignant look on his son's face.

"Are you talking to that bastard about me?" Sesshoumaru accused.

"Language boy." Toga tried to sound serious but it fell short since Sesshoumaru's fit over Koga was always just too funny.

"Stop talking to him and especially about me!" Sesshoumaru hissed. "Why haven't you fired him yet? Does he even serve a purpose to society or is he just sucking up perfectly good oxygen that productive citizens could be using? The skin that makes up that bas… jerk should have been used to make someone that wouldn't suck society dry."

Toga shook his head. "Why do you hate him so much?"

"Why do you like him so much?" Sesshoumaru popped back smartly.

"I never said I like him." Toga shrugged. "I'm just wondering why you dislike him so much. Did he do something to you or say something that pissed you off?"

"Language." Sesshoumaru mocked back.

Toga snorted. "So what's the deal with Koga?"

"Because he has a big mouth and never knows when to shut it. He's always doing stuff to people just for his own amusement and he's an idiot."

"That's it?" Toga shook his head.

"No!" Sesshoumaru bit back.

"Then what is it?"

"Nothing," Sesshoumaru growled. "just drop it."

Toga suddenly became very serious. "Sesshoumaru what did he do to you?"


	5. Chapter 5

Sesshoumaru turned his head away from his father and looked out the window. "Nothing." He whispered.

"Stop lying to me." Toga growled. "Now answer me." He demanded getting very irritated by his son's behavior.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and sighed deeply. "Dad; I don't want to talk about it."

Toga knew his son as well as he knew himself and knew without a doubt that whatever happened between his son and Koga wasn't good. "Alright; I'll drop it." _'Until tonight when I see that bastard and kill him for whatever he did to you.'_ He growled to himself.

"So how are we doing today?"

Both Sesshoumaru and Toga looked at the doctor when he walked in. Sesshoumaru suddenly smirked as he stared at his physician. "You have my money?"

"You don't waste any time do you?" Naraku shook his head as he walked over to the bed.

"Money? What money?" Toga stared at his son.

"It seems as if your son is a better poker player then he says he is." Naraku smirked. "He certainly knows how to read a man's face." He nodded as he set down a twenty on Sesshoumaru's thigh.

"You need a better poker face." Sesshoumaru pointed out as he plucked up his money.

Toga shook his head. "He sucked you into a game of poker?"

Naraku nodded. "Yes; he's not much at the game but can certainly see through a lie."

"That's my boy." Toga smiled proudly. "He can spot a liar from a hundred paces."

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes and held the money out to his father. "Here; why don't you go buy a new personality and quit playing the prideful dad."

Toga slapped Sesshoumaru's hand away from him. "Knock it off boy."

"Then here pay a bill or something." He shoved the money back at his father.

Toga shook his head in disgust and snatched the money for his hand. "There's a reason why people practice safe sex…" He trailed off and smirked at the deadly glare his son was giving him.

"Aren't visiting hours over?" Sesshoumaru snapped back.

"Not till eight." Naraku smirked at the boy in the bed.

Sesshoumaru looked at the clock. "Well it's past nine; bye dad."

"Very funny." Toga snorted. "He means p.m."

Naraku shook his head. "So did you collect those pills?" He questioned Toga.

Toga handed the small bag over to the doctor. "Do you really think they are the source of his poisoning?"

Naraku smirked and nodded. "I'll wager my career on it."

"I'll take that wager." Sesshoumaru smirked darkly.

"Oh?" Naraku arched a brow. "And what are you putting on the table?"

"Your bill if you lose my college if I lose." He pointed at the envelope on the floor.

Naraku looked from the boy to his father and could see the deep scowl marring his brow. "I will take that wager and before you know it you will be in school." With that he took the pills and swept out of the room with a victory smirk already on his face.

"Boy what the hell was that all about?" Toga demanded.

"He's bluffing." Sesshoumaru nodded. "I could see it all over his face; he isn't sure."

"Either way you are still going to school and quit worrying about the bills." He bit out. "You focus on going to school and making a good future for yourself."

Sesshoumaru sighed deeply in annoyance. "Come on dad."

"No; for the last time I don't want to hear it." Toga growled darkly. "We will not discuss this again; do you understand me?"

"Yes." Sesshoumaru nearly pouted.

"Good." Toga nodded as he stared at his son dubiously knowing full well that Sesshoumaru wasn't going to let it go. That was the boy's problem he made **everything** his problem.

xx

"What the hell?" Naraku growled as he stared at the test results. He looked over at his assistant. "Are you certain these are the correct results?"

Jak took the file from his hands and eyed it thoroughly. "No!" He snapped irritably before he turned and stormed across the office.

Naraku sighed deeply as he watched his assistant. "A little uptight today are we?"

Jak glared at the doctor from over his shoulder. "It's none of your business." He bit out before he grabbed the needed file and stormed back across the room.

"Testy." Naraku snorted as he opened the file.

"Shut up." Jak hissed as he continued to storm around the office.

Naraku nearly rolled his eyes at Jak's behavior. Every other day he was as bitchy as menstruating teenaged girl. "Looks like I win." He grinned to himself.

"Win what?" Jak demanded.

Naraku turned his chair and faced his assistant. "What is wrong with you today? You are bitchier than normal."

"I'm not bitchy!" Jak hissed.

Naraku arched a brow. "I beg to differ. The snappy attitude can be done without."

"I want a vacation!" He demanded coldly.

"As do I." Naraku turned back to his desk. "Don't come back until you either lose the attitude or get laid."

Jak gasped like he had just been hit in the chest. "I hate you!" He bellowed before he stormed out of the office.

"Same Jak; different day." He shook his head and continued going over the test results of Sesshoumaru's vitamins.

xx

"What did you do to him?" Toga demanded darkly.

"I haven't done anything to him." Koga defended.

Toga narrowed his eyes to deadly little slits. "Liar" he growled. "he told me."

Gray eyes widened hugely. "He's lying."

"I don't think so." Toga glared. "You and I both know that Sesshoumaru doesn't make up fairy tales nor does he lie."

Koga jabbed his fingers though his hair in agitation. "It wasn't that bad." He defended.

"Not that bad." Toga growled.

He still didn't know what Koga did to his son but damn was he going to find out then he was going to kill him. "My son; who has suffered so much at the hands of his own mother is now suffering because of what you did to him. Tell me Koga what do you suppose I should do to appease my son?"

Koga bristled under Toga' hard stare. "But he said he wanted it." He nodded. "It was all consensual."

He never knew he could have so much rage flowing though his body. "You raped my son?" He hissed through clenched teeth.

"No I didn't." Koga defended as he began backing away from the larger man. "You said he told you what happened."

"And you are a fool." Toga growled. "I want answers and I want them now." He hissed darkly as he advanced on him.

xx

"So?" Sesshoumaru questioned the doctor when Naraku walked into his room.

Naraku smirked. "It seems my dear boy you are going to college this summer."

Sesshoumaru stared at the doctor coldly. "I hope you rot in hell." He growled before he returned to ripping pieces of colored construction paper into tiny tiny pieces and flinging them to the floor.

Naraku looked at the confetti on the floor then up at the boy creating the mess. "What are you doing?"

Hard ambers cut up to the doctor. "I'm having a one man party." He rolled his eyes. "You're welcome to stay if you wish."

"Very funny." Naraku snorted as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "Now why don't you tell me what you are really doing."

Sesshoumaru sighed deeply. "It's something I do when I'm nervous or upset; like an OCD."

"What's upsetting you? The hospital bills?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head slowly as he continued to rip the paper into little tiny pieces. "Worse."

Naraku drew his brows. "What do you mean worse?"

"I don't know." He shrugged. "Something is unsettling." He answered then went completely silent as he tore pieces of paper apart to as small as he could get them then flung them to the floor. "I just want to go home." He mumbled to himself.

"Tomorrow." Naraku nodded.

"Yea." Sesshoumaru whispered almost sadly. "I want my dad."

Naraku arched a brow before he nodded and picked the phone up. "What's the number?"

Sesshoumaru looked at him and gave him the number without question and watched as his doctor called his father.

"Hello; Mr. Taisho?" Naraku winked at the boy in the bed. "This is doctor Caractacus… Fine and yourself?" He looked at the boy in the bed and patted his thigh with a smirk. "Good good. Yes; I was hoping you could come down. I have some concerns that I would like to discuss with you and your son."

Sesshoumaru tilted his head to the side as he stared at his doctor.

"I understand but I wouldn't call you unless it was important… Yes… Yes… Very good; I will see you then. Alright. Bye." He hung up the phone and smirked at the boy.

Sesshoumaru dropped his handful of torn pieces of paper to the floor and looked at the doctor. "What are you going to tell him when he gets here?"

"I'm a doctor; what can't I tell him?" Naraku grinned at him.

The boy sighed with a nod and returned to ripping his paper. "Thank you." He mumbled just above a whisper.

Naraku stared at him for a long moment before he reached out, grabbed him by the chin, and tilted his head up so he could look into his troubled ambers. "What is it?" He whispered. "What is so bad that it troubles you so?"

Sesshoumaru just stared back at the doctor unblinking and nearly glassy eyed. "I'm alone."

Never in his life had he ever met anyone so complex and at such a young age. Sesshoumaru was a strange kid and seemed the sort that was an adult trapped in a child's body and unable to cope with the internal conflict of the situation. Something inside of him was hurting for the boy and he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was he wanted to do whatever it took to make him better internally, externally, and mentally. He slowly began to lean in towards the boy and stopped suddenly when his pager began beeping.

Jerking up he ripped the pager from his hip and stared at it before he looked back at the boy. "I will see you shortly." He then got up and left the room rather quickly his mind wasn't on his emergency it was on Sesshoumaru and what he almost did. Something was very wrong with him as that boy was constantly on his mind and everywhere he went those eyes… those deep beautiful ambers haunted him.

xx

Sesshoumaru looked up when his father walked into the room and sighed sadly before he dropped the paper from his hand to the floor.

Toga looked from the paper on the floor to his son and quickly made his way over to the bed and sat down next to him. "Why didn't YOU call me?" He demanded in a soft voice.

"You can't afford to leave work." Sesshoumaru whispered.

"That doesn't matter." Toga sighed. "What IS important is you and your health." He shook his head and sighed. "When did you eat last?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged. "I don't know."

"Have you eaten since you been here?"

Sesshoumaru drew his brows before he shook his head. "No."

Toga sighed deeply. "Tuesday?"

"I don't think so." Sesshoumaru shrugged.

"I know you did Monday night," he narrowed his dark eyes upon his son. "three days!" He growled. "Damn it boy; why do you do this to yourself?" He held his hand up when Sesshoumaru opened his mouth silencing him. "No; I don't want to hear it. Stop thinking so hard about things that you do not need to be worrying about." He stared hard at his son. "Are you trying to kill yourself or what? Is that what you are trying to do?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head vigorously. "Of course not."

"Bullshit!" Toga bit out. "Do you think that it will make things easier for me if you aren't around? Is that what you think?"

"Sometimes." He whispered sadly.

Toga pressed his lips together tightly. "Well they wouldn't." He stood up and shook his head at his son. "This isn't through. First you are going to eat then you are going to tell me what is going through that little head of yours. Do you understand me?"

Sesshoumaru slowly nodded his head as he stared at his lap.

"Good." Toga growled before he turned and left the room.

xx

Sesshoumaru picked at the food his father brought him. "Koga…" He started with a sigh.

"Stop stalling and tell me what he did!" Toga demanded growing quite impatient with his son. Granted he already knew what Koga did to him as he heard it from the bastard's own mouth; he wanted to hear it from his son to make sure Koga wasn't lying.

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "He hazed me under the guise of playing a game that he and his friends play all the time."

"What do you mean; hazed you under the guise of playing a game? What does that mean? I want details boy." He ordered. "And stop trying to protect him."

Sesshoumaru cut angry ambers up to his father. "I'm not protecting him!" He hissed angrily. "It's you!"

Toga arched a brow. "What do you mean me?"

"He told me that if I told you or anyone he would make me pay by hurting you!" He slammed his fork down angrily before he stared coldly at his father. "What is going to happen to me if something happens to you? What? I have no one! My mother tried to kill me and left without a word about where she was going. Her parents want nothing to do with me because they don't like you and your parents are dead; so what does that leave me with? You; you are all I have and if you are gone then what? I will be left at the hands of the state for them to do with me as they will and I'd rather be dead then some foster kid floating around with people I don't know and don't like!"

Toga shook his head and sighed deeply. "Nothing's going to…"

"Don't you dare say that!" Sesshoumaru pointed in his face angrily. "You don't know that! At any minute, at anytime, anything can happen to anyone; including you!"

"What do you want me to do?" Toga sighed. "Lock myself away into a room where nothing can happen to me?"

"Of course not." Sesshoumaru bit out. "I want to know that everything will be okay."

"I can't guarantee that." Toga sighed deeply. "Life is unpredictable you never know when and where you will end up day after day."

"And what about me when you end up dead?" He pushed his food away, picked up his paper, and went back to ripping it into tiny little pieces. "I don't have anyone else."

Toga dropped his shoulders in defeat as he watched his son rip his paper. He couldn't for the life of him figure out why when Sesshoumaru was severely upset or stressed out he would rip paper into pieces. It all started when he was four and hasn't stopped since. Then again ripping paper was an easy way to tell when Sesshoumaru wasn't happy and with someone like Sesshoumaru who never seemed to show any emotions it was helpful to have a sign so he knew when his son was upset.

"Sesshoumaru."

"Forget it dad." The boy growled as he threw the red piece of construction paper to the side, opened his bag, and plucked out a dark navy blue piece of paper, and began ripping it apart.

Toga knew that Sesshoumaru was getting more upset with this conversation. That was another thing about his strange behavior. The more upset he was the darker the paper and when Sesshoumaru was intensely upset and black paper was ripped up there was no hope for calming him down. It was a rather strange habit and he had to wonder just where the boy picked it up or what possessed him to behave in such a way.

"Mr. Taisho?"

Toga turned and looked over at the nurse.

"I have some forms that I need you to look at and verify that the information is correct." The woman nodded with a nervous glace at the boy in the bed.

Toga nodded at the woman then turned to his son. "I'll be right back." He looked at his son knowing full well that Sesshoumaru didn't hear a word he said. He planted a kiss on the side of his head and left the room with a deep sad sigh.


	6. Chapter 6

Apparently ffnet is floating around in some alternate universe somewhere and messages and reviews and the like are getting lost somewhere in the dark void of the time space continuum. So if you leave me a message or something it may take a bit to get back to you. I reviewed my own fic yesterday and it showed up thirty minutes later but I'm still waiting for the email notice. Along with the email notifications of new chapter and a new fic. It'll prob show up next year sometime and I'll wonder what these emails are about.

Second thing is in this chapter there's a character from another fandom and in a later chapter his counter part. I thought about changing him into a Yasha character but couldn't think of any good pairings that would work. So this fic will have a Xem/Sai pairing/ish thing going on. (If you don't know who those two are it won't matter much.) Whelp anyway hope you enjoy; much love for you all. Keva

xx

When he stepped out into the hall he drew his brows when Naraku walked up to him.

"Mr. Taisho." Naraku nodded.

"Call me Toga." He nodded back.

"Toga." Naraku again nodded then led him down the hall away from Sesshoumaru's room. "I want to speak to you about your son." He started as he turned towards him.

Toga sighed deeply again and stared at the doctor knowing full well what he wanted to talk about. "My son is very complex and very hard to understand especially if you don't know him." He leaned against the wall like he was exhausted. "When he focuses on something that upsets him it's very difficult to get him to let it go; so he rips paper." He sighed deeply. "The darker the paper the more upset he is."

Naraku arched a brow. "So he is upset then." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I find it rather peculiar that he rips paper to deal with his trauma."

"As do I." Toga nodded. "For so many years I have watched him suffer these moods and have no real understanding of what motivates his behavior."

"I have to say that your son is rather… unique." Naraku nodded.

"That he is." Toga agreed.

"So how long will he remain that way?"

Toga shook his head as he crossed his arms over his chest. "With Sesshoumaru it's hard to say. Until he finds something to ease what is upsetting him he will continue as he is. It wouldn't bother me so much if it was just the paper ripping but he doesn't eat and barely sleeps when he gets this way." He sighed deeply for what seemed the hundredth time in the last fifteen minutes. "He acts like the weight of the world rests solely on his shoulders."

Naraku stared at his patient's father thoughtfully. "Is there nothing that can be done for him to help ease this imaginary burden he carries?"

"The only way for my son to return to himself is if he either solves the problem in his head or a solution that he approves of is given. Otherwise he can and will stay like that for days." He ran his fingers through his hair in annoyance.

"If you don't mind me asking but what is causing his unease?" He found this boy to be rather intriguing and for the life of him couldn't figure out why.

Toga snorted. "He's just worried that something is going to happen to me and that he's going to have no one to take care of him. Sesshoumaru is…" he drew his brows in thought. "different." He nodded. "His standards are very high and that creates problems with those he's around. People take offense to things he says because he doesn't sugar coat anything and tells you like it is."

Naraku nodded. "I have seen. Nearly all of the nurses on this floor refuse to work with your son he has really made life for them here difficult. Most have walked out of his room either crying or close to doing so."

"They are mother like females" Toga said flatly with a shrug of his shoulder.

"Right." Naraku nodded thoughtfully as he remembered why the boy was here in the first place. "So because of his higher than normal standards should something happen to you he's going to be passed around from home to home because they won't be able to handle him?"

"Exactly," Toga agreed. "it would kill him to have to live such a life." He stared hard at the doctor. He didn't know why he was talking to this man about his son's issues and their personal matters but he just couldn't help himself he needed to talk to someone before he himself lost it. "As in; he would kill himself just to get away from his misery."

"I don't mean to be so blunt or to pry into your business…" Naraku trailed off when Toga shook his head.

"I don't know." Toga answered the question before the doctor could even ask. "There is no one out there that my son trusts or likes enough that he could go stay with nor is there anyone out there that would really want him. It's a worry I carry with me every single day. I only want what's best for him but that's hard to come by when all my son has in his life is me."

Both men suddenly looked over to the nurse's station when they heard the distinct sound of Sesshoumaru's voice coming through the speaker.

"Where is my dad?"

The nurse looked over at the two men nervously as she responded. "He is right here."

"Why?" Sesshoumaru's voice demanded coldly.

"He is speaking with the doctor."

"Liar!" Sesshoumaru bit back. "You called my dad out there on purpose to piss me off!"

The nurse looked over at the man in question pleadingly.

"I'll be right there." He nodded to the nurse.

She nodded in return. "He is on his way."

"Listen lady…" Sesshoumaru growled coldly. "don't feed me your crap. Where is my dad and stop stalling for time!"

Toga sighed deeply… again before he shook his head. "And now you see my problem. He would destroy any female that tried to mother him and no male would put up with him. Hence my dilemma." He snorted to the doctor before he pushed off the wall and made his way to his son's room.

Naraku shook his head. He had come across many different kinds of people during his career but never had he ever met anyone like the enigma known as Sesshoumaru. Granted he had seen some that have come really close but nothing like the boy.

"I'll be glad when he goes home."

He looked over at the nurse when she mumbled the statement to herself and smirked. That boy sure knew how to get under people's skin and without even trying. It made him wonder what Sesshoumaru was like when he tried to piss people off.

xx

"Well it looks like you're finally out of here." Naraku smiled at his patient.

"Good." Sesshoumaru nodded. "I'm sick of this place and those stupid women that call themselves nurses."

Toga shook his head and snorted. "Boy if you don't find yourself a more charming personality you're never going to get anywhere in life."

Sesshoumaru glowered up at his father. "It's not me that's the problem."

"Yes it's everyone else that needs to conform to you." Toga snorted sarcastically.

Sesshoumaru crossed his arms over his chest. "And what is wrong with that? I shouldn't have to change myself for anyone and if they don't like it they can…"

"Watch it boy." Toga threatened cutting him off.

Sesshoumaru huffed before he turned to his doctor. "So can we go now?"

Naraku smirked at him. "Test me boy and I will keep you here for another week."

"You wouldn't dare." Sesshoumaru hissed with narrowed sapphires.

"Is that a challenge?" Naraku countered then chuckled when the boy huffed and looked away from him. "Well; then I suppose everything is set. I will see you in two weeks for a check up to make sure everything is clear and remember keep your iron intake down to a minimum for the next month."

Sesshoumaru nodded as he stood up and stared at his father. "Well?" He demanded.

"Yes yes we're going." Toga grinned at his boy before he looked at the doctor and held his hand out to him. When Naraku shook his hand he smiled at the doctor. "Thank you for fixing my kid and doing what no other doctor could." He nodded.

"It was my pleasure." Naraku smiled back then patted Sesshoumaru on the shoulder. "He's a good kid. Very" he looked down at the boy. "charming."

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes. "Stop trying to suck up." He growled then became rather annoyed when Naraku smirked at him.

"Yes my whole career was spent trying to be the best just for you." Naraku teased. "I'm glad I succeeded in my life goals now I can retire happily."

"I hate you." Sesshoumaru hissed as he stormed out of the room.

Toga' eyes widened slightly as he watched Sesshoumaru leave. "I can't believe it." He nodded.

Naraku drew his brows slightly. "Believe what?"

"He likes you." Toga said still shocked.

"I'm not sure I understand." Naraku nodded as his brows drew even further. "What do you mean he likes me?"

Toga smirked. "If there is one thing in this life I can say that I know; it's my son." He nodded. "And I know for a fact that if he wastes his time claiming hate for someone it means he doesn't hate them at all. My son is not one to spend time telling people whether or not he dislikes them but he will spend his time making their lives as miserable as possible so they know he doesn't like them." He laughed lightly at the confused face the doctor was making at him.

Naraku shook his head as this made no sense nor was he going to try to figure it out. "Thank you?"

Toga patted the doctor on the shoulder as he walked past him. "Don't worry; just know that he likes you and that should be enough." With that he left the room to get his son and save the nurses from Sesshoumaru's final stand against the poor women.

xx

"So are you ready to tell me what happened?" Toga questioned the boy that was sitting on the couch with a large pad of drawing paper propped up against his knees and scribbling furiously with a stick of charcoal.

"No." Sesshoumaru bit out.

Toga narrowed his eyes upon his son. "Why not?" He growled.

"Because it is in the past and I am tired of the past wrecking my future." He scowled at his father. "I let it go and so should you."

Toga rubbed a hand over his face as he could feel a pounding headache coming on. "Why must you be so damn difficult all the time?" He threw his hands into the air in defeat.

"I'm not being difficult!" Sesshoumaru bit back. "I'm just tired of the past. I'm trying to move on with my life and you keep digging up crap that's better left forgotten!" He pointed at his father with his charcoal stick.

Toga glared hard at his son. "I would hardly call my son being abused something that should be forgotten."

"And what is remembering it going to do? What?" Sesshoumaru glowered at his father. "Nothing; that's what!"

"So you're saying that we should let those that brought you harm just continue on with their lives like nothing happened so they can go and do the same to someone else?"

Sesshoumaru stared hard at his father. "And what are you doing about mom? Are you searching for her hunting her down so she can face justice for what she did to me?"

Toga stared blankly at his son. "I would if I knew where she was."

Sesshoumaru grunted. "And do tell me father; have you even tried to find her?"

Toga sat down heavily onto the sofa next to his son's feet. "I just want to make sure you are safe to take care of you as a proper parent should so you can grow up happy and healthy." He sighed deeply. "And I have failed at both."

Deep ambers widened at the man. "Don't say that." Sesshoumaru whispered softly. "I may not have been very healthy lately no thanks to mom but I have been happy."

Toga looked over at his son. "Really?"

Sesshoumaru smiled at his father and nodded. "I have."

"Well I guess that's all that matters then." Toga sighed

Sesshoumaru nodded. "It is."

xx

"Where is your father?" Naraku questioned when he walked into the examination room and quickly noticed only Sesshoumaru sitting in the room.

"He had to work." He answered with a curt nod. "I mean someone has to pay for all of this." He waved his arms about the room. "If he didn't how would you be able to fund your lavish lifestyle?"

Naraku closed the door and arched a brow at the boy. "Lavish lifestyle? What makes you so certain that I live in the lap of luxury?"

"Please" Sesshoumaru grunted. "I've seen your bill. So what are you going to do with all the money my father is working so hard to give you for your overpriced services." His hard ambers narrowed. "I bet you bought those muscles with some other poor slob's life savings."

Never in his life had he ever felt such animosity come from a being as he did at this moment. The coldness permeating from the boy made him feel the chill of his iciness shoot up his spine. How was he supposed to respond to his words let alone his behavior? "Does it bother you so bad?" He knew that was a stupid question as soon as the words left his lips and of course the boy made sure to point it out.

"Not at all." Sesshoumaru bit out sarcastically. "The fact that we are barely getting by to pay outrageous hospital bills and your over inflated doctor's bill doesn't affect my life at all." He waved his hands through the air.

"So what do you want me to do then?" Naraku questioned as he stared at the boy.

"Just do what we're both here for so I can get out of here." Sesshoumaru hissed. "Every minute is what," he waved his hand through the air dismissively. "three, four hundred more in your wallet?"

Naraku sighed and moved to stand in front of the boy. "Perhaps there is a way to make things a little easier for you and your father." He nodded as he pulled stethoscope from around his neck.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes suspiciously upon the physician. "Are you some kind of pervert?" He demanded coldly.

Naraku arched a dark brow highly. "What would make you say such a thing? I was going to offer you a part-time job in my office to help pay my over inflated doctor's bill."

"Why?" The boy questioned suspiciously not entirely sure he liked where this was going.

"Since it seems that I am the source of your misery I'm just trying to correct my misdeed against you and your father." He said flatly as he pressed the stethoscope against the boy's chest.

Sesshoumaru glowered at the doctor. To hear it put that way made him feel like a fool and he did not like it one bit. "How much will you pay me to work for you?"

Naraku didn't even look up from writing in the boy's chart. "I won't pay you. You will be working off your bill."

"And how much a day will I be working off?" Sesshoumaru hissed.

Naraku looked up at his patient. "It depends on how well you work and how pleasant your attitude is."

Deep golden eyes narrowed upon the doctor. "So you're going to pay me based on my behavior and attitude?" He questioned suspiciously.

"Again; I am not going to pay you. Your behavior from day to day will determine how much I will take off your bill." He then smirked. "And you will go to school."

"I will not!" He crossed his arms over his chest defiantly. "We can't afford it."

Naraku kept his smirk on his lips. "I will have my colleague Xemnas go over your records and see if you are eligible for the Future Hope Scholarship. If he decides to give you the scholarship you won't have to pay a dime for college."

"And if he decides I'm not eligible?"

Naraku closed Sesshoumaru's medical file and stared at the boy. "I can assure you that he will accept you."

"Why? Is he in debt to you as well?"

Naraku snorted as he stared at the boy. "Perhaps. However the choice is yours. Work for me and go to college or continue to blame me for your misery and get nothing."

Sesshoumaru stared at the doctor for a long silent moment. "My dad won't allow this."

"I will deal with your father you just need to decide what you want to do. Opportunities like this don't come along everyday and I strongly suggest you seriously consider taking it." He pushed back on Sesshoumaru's shoulder to lay him down on the examination table and began gently pressing on his abdomen.

"What do you get out of this?" Sesshoumaru flinched when Naraku pressed a little too hard against his stomach.

"Nothing."

Hard gold locked with midnight eyes. "Then why?"

Naraku stared at the boy in all seriousness. "Like I said; just trying to correct the disservice I committed against you and your father."

Sesshoumaru sighed and turned his head breaking the stare between them. "It's not your fault."

"No," Naraku shook his head. "clearly it is my fault. I hired your mother to poison you so that you would have to go to the hospital and I could take you and your father for everything you own. I'm just ensuring my plan continues to flow as I intended it to."

Sesshoumaru snapped his head over and stared hard at the doctor. "Do not mock me!"

"I'm not mocking you only repeating everything you yourself have said to me at least once." He stared down at the boy laid out before him. "Besides you lost our bet; remember?"

Sesshoumaru glowered at the doctor. "I was hoping you would forget." He hissed.

Naraku continued to stare at the boy before he slowly trailed his fingers up his sides from his position between his legs hanging over the end of the table. "I could never forget especially when it comes to someone like you." He whispered before he covered the boy's body with his own and began nipping on his neck.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and tilted his head back to give his doctor better access to his flesh as his fingers gripped tightly into Naraku's white doctor's coat.

This was wrong and he knew it was wrong but he couldn't help himself. There was just something about the boy that drew him in and he could in no way ignore the pull of his allure.


	7. Chapter 7

Alright I know about Kageromaru's hair but really I wouldn't go to a doctor that had purple hair. If he can't make good decisions about his hair then I doubt he could make good decisions about my health. Therefore I game him dark hair; then again most of you may not even notice anyway but I know a few of you will. Other than that nothing else to say about it... oh except Kei; as per usual he is mine mine mine. That's it for now; hope you enjoy. Much love for you all. keva

xx

"Are you okay?" Sesshoumaru demanded as he stared up at the doctor.

Naraku pinched the bridge of his. "I'm fine." No… no he wasn't fine and whatever was wrong with him was going to need to be fixed BEFORE the boy came to work for him.

Sesshoumaru stared hard at his doctor. "You're weird; zoning out like that. What are you even thinking anyway?"

The physician stared at his patient thoughtfully. "About what I was going to tell Xemnas about you."

"Liar!" Sesshoumaru hissed. "Why are you always lying to me?"

"Just testing you." Naraku smirked.

Sesshoumaru sat up and stared at the doctor for a long silent moment. "Quit lying to me. Just because I'm young doesn't mean I am stupid."

"I never said you were." Naraku nodded as he picked up the boy's file and began writing in it.

Sesshoumaru scowled at the doctor. "Then what the hell are you even talking about?"

"I am saying that you are doing well." He smiled at the boy. "And I will see you here tomorrow morning at eight."

Sesshoumaru drew his brows. "My next appointment isn't for three more weeks."

"True" Naraku nodded. "but you my dear boy will begin your first day of work tomorrow."

Ambers widened hugely as they stared at the doctor before he jumped off the table. "I am not going to work for you."

"Very well. You can get dressed and I will see you in three weeks." He turned his back to the boy making like he was going to leave. "Oh and bring your father's check for my bill with you. I have a new car that I need to make the payment on." He nodded curtly from over his shoulder.

"Wait!"

Naraku turned and stared at the boy in front of him with a brow arched highly in question.

"If I agree to this; what are you going to tell my father?"

Naraku patted him on the shoulder and smirked at him. "Don't worry about that everything will be taken care of. You just make sure you are here in my office first thing in the morning." He then opened the door to leave but stopped and looked back at his little patient. "Oh and I do not like tardiness."

Sesshoumaru stared at the empty doorway fuming but knew this was an opportunity he just could not pass up. With a sigh of resignation he went about the task of changing back into his clothes and heading home to face his father. Hoping beyond hope that his father wouldn't bring it up for he no clue how to explain this to him.

xx

"I forbid it!" Toga bellowed across the kitchen table at his son.

"Dad; listen…" Sesshoumaru started.

"No I do not want to hear it. It is not your responsibility to take care of the bills. Your only responsibility is to go to school and that is it!"

Sesshoumaru pressed his lips together firmly as he glowered at his father. "Stop it dad! I am doing this." He nodded curtly. "It will help with the bills and," he really didn't like it but he would do it if it meant helping his father. "I will get a scholarship for college if I do this. Do you not want me to go to school?"

Toga narrowed his eyes upon his son. "We will not take charity." He growled through clenched teeth.

"It's not charity." Sesshoumaru bit back. "I will be working which will pay the doctor's bill and I will be going to school. Everyone will get what they want; so I don't see what the problem is."

"The problem is you are still…" He trailed off when Sesshoumaru slammed his fists against the table as he jumped to this feet.

"Don't you dare say it!" Sesshoumaru yelled at his father. "Accept the facts dad; I am not some snot nosed little child anymore. I can think and do for myself hell I'm fifteen years old, graduated high school, and am supposed to be in college right now. At what point do I stop being a child and become an adult?"

"When you are old enough to drink." Toga ground out. "And you will watch your language if you know what's good for you."

Sesshoumaru snorted. "You can't keep me as a child forever. At some point I am going to have to start doing for myself and helping you. So I am doing this whether you like it or not."

Toga glowered across the table at his son. "Why must you be so difficult all the time?"

"I'm not being difficult." Sesshoumaru deflated and sat back down. "I'm just trying to do what's right and what's best for both of us." He looked at his father. "If I do this I'm guaranteed a scholarship that will pay for school no other scholarship will give me that much."

Toga sighed deeply with a run of his fingers through his hair in agitation. This was a losing battle and he knew it. "Are you certain this is what you want?"

"No" Sesshoumaru answered honestly. "but it's what's for the best; for both of us." He nodded.

"If this is something you really want to do I will support you the best I can." Toga sighed deeply trying to keep his ire in check. Truly he did not like this one bit. He just wanted his son to have a normal life and at least enjoy what was left of his teenaged years. Not going to work and taking on responsibilities that shouldn't be his concern for at least another six years or so.

Then there was the issue of this doctor that was in his opinion taking too much of an interest in his son's life and he didn't understand why. All he could pull from the physician was that he was doing this to correct some wrong Sesshoumaru believed he committed against him. Really none of it made sense and he couldn't get a clear answer out of either of them as to what the hell was going on.

No he really didn't want to do this but he also knew that this was for the best. "Yes dad; this is what I want to do." Sesshoumaru nodded.

Toga sighed deeply and deflated completely as he stared at his son. "Why is he doing this?"

Sesshoumaru knew who his father was talking about and shook his head. "It doesn't matter why." He nodded curtly. "All that matters is he is giving me an opportunity that I wouldn't otherwise have."

Lips pressed tightly together as heated gold stared hard at his son. "Is he molesting you?" He demanded.

"What?" Sesshoumaru stared wide eyed at his father. "No one is molesting me! Especially not him!" He nodded curtly. "He's just trying to help."

Toga grunted not entirely sure he should believe his son especially after what he found out about what happened between him and that bastard Koga. "I wish I could say I believe you." Toga nodded. "But after that whole thing with Koga I'm not sure I can."

"Now you are calling me a liar?" Sesshoumaru growled coldly.

"No; I'm saying that you aren't telling me everything. Suddenly you are keeping secrets from me causing me to doubt what you and those around you have to say."

Sesshoumaru shook his head sadly. "Dad; I'm not keeping anything from you on this. I swear it." He nodded. "What happened with Koga," he sighed again not wanting to talk about it. "it was the first time I have ever kept anything from you and for that I am sorry but with Dr. Caractacus I am telling you the truth. He is going to get me into college so long as I work part-time for him and it won't cost us anything and he will deduct portions of his bill for each day I work." He stared at his father pleadingly. "Please dad; just let me do this."

Toga wanted to say no but knew no matter how bad he didn't want his son to do this Sesshoumaru would do it anyway. He sighed deeply and gave a small nod. "Very well; however if I feel that this isn't in your best interest after a few weeks you will stop."

"Deal" Sesshoumaru nodded then smiled at his father. "thanks dad."

Toga grunted with a shake of his head more than certain that this was a really bad idea.

xx

"Naraku?" Kohaku tapped on the open door as he entered the doctor's back office. "There is a boy out here Sesshoumaru; he says he's here to see you." He nodded. "Plus in the ten minutes he's been here he has made Kanna cry and is currently working on making Kageromaru do the same." He suddenly smirked. "Which with a little more time I believe he might just succeed."

Naraku smirked in an attempt to bite down his chuckle at the thought of what Sesshoumaru was doing or saying to his staff and associate. "Right on time." He nodded with a glance at the wall clock. "Send him back and bring me new log book."

Kohaku nodded before he turned and left the office to collect the boy and the book.

A few moments later there was a commotion in the hallway just outside his office that demanded that he drops everything he was doing and investigate just what the hell was going on. As he stepped into the hall the site that greeted him was one that was going to be etched into his memory forever. As there before him was a very irritated Kageromaru coming towards him with a extremely pissed off Sesshoumaru tucked under his arm and Kohaku following behind them.

"I believe this is yours." Kageromaru growled as he shoved the boy at his doctor companion.

Naraku held Sesshoumaru against him when the boy began to struggling to get free swearing he was going to kill the obviously larger man. "My apologizes." Naraku nodded to the irritated doctor.

Kageromaru grunted and glowered at the boy in Naraku's arms. "Cross me again boy and I will put you over my knee and beat some sense into you."

"I'd like to see you try it!" Sesshoumaru hissed with a pointed finger at the man.

"That will be enough." Naraku bit out and dragged the boy into his office closing the door behind them.

Sesshoumaru broke free of the doctor's hold. "Who the hell was that bastard?" He demanded at he stared at him.

Naraku stared hard at the boy as he leaned against his desk. "Sit." He ordered with a point of his finger towards the chair in front of his desk.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Sesshoumaru hissed then spun to face the door when it quietly opened.

"Your log book." Kohaku nodded as he tentatively made his way into the office and set the book on the doctor's desk then quickly and just as quietly left as the tension in the office was nearly suffocating.

Naraku looked back at the boy when Sesshoumaru turned to face him once again. "You are not starting off very well for your first day. Keep behaving this way and you will be paying me to work here." He nodded.

Deep ambers narrowed upon the doctor. "We're paying you enough already." He growled.

"Be that as it may," Naraku nodded as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I will not tolerate such behavior out of you. This is an office and you will act accordingly. Remember your behavior decides just how much I will deduct from your bill."

"Fine!" Sesshoumaru huffed as he plopped down in the chair in front of the doctor. "So what do I have to do to work here?"

"Your job will be here in my office logging reports into the computer and monitoring my schedule." He moved to sit behind his desk. "However those duties won't begin until tomorrow today you and I will be going to the city to meet with Xemnas." He scribbled a few things down on a piece of paper before he looked back up at the boy. "And I am warning you now you will not behave as such when we get to his office."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes upon the doctor. "You are not my father." He growled deadly.

"No that I am not." Naraku agreed as he stood up and began to gather the things he would need for an all morning meeting with Xemnas. "However I am your employer and am the one getting you into school and you will not shame me." Once he had everything he needed he picked up the piece of paper on the desk and nodded to the boy. "Come let us go and get this over with."

Sesshoumaru rose to his feet and followed behind the doctor. "Why did you say it like that? You act like going to see this man is like having pins jabbed under your fingernails."

"Hmm…" Naraku hummed thoughtfully. "pins under the fingernails; it might be less painful." He shook his head. "No; we will meet with him." He nodded as he handed the piece of paper to Kohaku. "Make sure my schedule is rearranged and let the hospital know that I will unavailable for the rest of the day and to call Kei should they have an emergency. Also call Jak the number to where he is staying is on the paper and tell him that his vacation has been cut short."

"He won't like that." Kohaku nodded.

"Does he like anything?" Naraku countered. "Tell him that if he comes back I will extend his vacation by two days on my tab. I only need him here for a day or two then he can return to his science camp." He made finger quotations with one hand causing Kohaku to chuckled.

"Camp; right." He smirked. "I'll see what I can do." He nodded as he picked up the phone.

"Thank you." Naraku nodded then looked at the boy standing behind him. "Come; Xemnas waits."

Sesshoumaru followed the doctor out of the office making sure to cast icy glares at every person he passed. Really he didn't know why he was so pissed off but something was crawling up his spine and he couldn't quite figure out what it was. All he knew was the second he laid his eyes on that Kageromaru guy his insides started churning angrily and all he could think was that he wanted nothing more than to piss the man off. "I don't like him."

Naraku opened the door to his car and looked across the roof of the little sports car at the boy. "Who?" He questioned as he hit the power locks so Sesshoumaru could get in.

"That big ape of a man with the dark hair." He glowered as he got into the car.

"Kageromaru?" Naraku questioned as he too got in and fastened his seatbelt. "Why don't you like him?"

"I don't know." The boy hissed. "There's just something about him that rubs me the wrong way."

Naraku snorted. "As far as I can tell any and all breathing individuals rub you the wrong way."

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "No; not all. My dad doesn't and you don't."

"Well" Naraku grinned over at the boy as he started the car. "I guess your father was correct then."

Deep ambers narrowed on the doctor. "What about my dad?"

Naraku pulled the car out of its parking space and made his way through the parking lot to the street. "He said you liked me."

"He was lying." Sesshoumaru nodded.

"I don't think so." He smirked as he pulled out onto the street once it was clear. "He said if you tell someone you hate them then in reality you don't."

Sesshoumaru grunted as he crossed his arms over his chest dismissing the conversation.

"I do wonder though if Kageromaru irritates you what it will be like when you meet with Jak." Naraku grinned evilly at the imagery of Jak and Sesshoumaru squaring off.

"Jak? Who's that?"

Naraku grinned over at the boy. "My uppity little assistant. Rather bitchy if I do say so myself."

"Bitchy?" Sesshoumaru questioned with slightly drawn brows.

"Yes bitchy." Naraku nodded. "Kageromaru thinks that Jak suffers from a permanent case of PMS and Kei wants to do a case study on him to see if he is indeed a male." He smirked over at the boy. "There is much debate throughout the office and the hospital about Jak and whether he is male or female or was once one or the other."

Sesshoumaru smirked. "Can't wait to meet him."

"I have to agree." Naraku smirked. "It will definitely make for one very interesting day."

Sesshoumaru glowered over at the doctor not entirely liking his words as he could somehow feel there was an insult in them but couldn't quite put his finger on where it was. He was definitely going to have to pay close attention to these new people that were going to surround him on a constant basis especially Naraku Caractacus as he seemed to be rather quick on the draw.


	8. Chapter 8

Xemnas stared blanked faced at the two beings sitting on the other side of his desk.

"Stop staring at me." Sesshoumaru bit out getting quite tired of this staring contest.

Xemnas arched a brow and gave off a small smirk causing the boy to narrow his eyes even further.

Naraku sighed and shook his head. So much for a quick easy meeting with Xemnas they had been sitting there for well past fifteen minutes in complete silence just staring at each other. He was amazed that Sesshoumaru held out so long with out saying something to the man. He really hoping that Sesshoumaru's short fuse would soon burn out and put a fire under Xemnas' ass so they could get this done and over with.

"Look" Sesshoumaru growled. "it's as simple as a yes or no. I do not want to spend my entire day sitting here staring at you; you are not that pretty!"

Naraku snorted trying to keep the chuckle in but couldn't hold it. "Yes Xemnas can we get on with it. I do have patients that need my attention." He tried to cover.

Xemnas dismissed the doctor all together. "Tell me why I should grant you my scholarship." He ordered in a slow deep commanding voice.

Sesshoumaru clenched his fists in his lap and glowered deadly at the man. "Tell me why I should want your scholarship." He retorted coldly.

Xemnas' smirk turned into something of a grin. "Clever boy. However; it will take more than just smarts for me to offer to pay for your schooling."

Sesshoumaru snorted. "That doesn't make any sense." He pointed out. "If its not smarts that is needed for college then what is? Is this like the military and I have to go through some physical training to prove that it takes more than smarts to get anywhere in life?" He narrowed his hard ambers upon the large man. "And if that's the case you can take your scholarship and…"

"Do not say it." Naraku threatened.

Sesshoumaru huffed and crossed his arms over his chest as he locked hard stares with the silver being behind the desk.

"Xemnas pull the rod out of your ass and get on with it." Naraku bit out. "I am quite tired of sitting here staring at you and I know full well that his grades more then pass your requirements."

"His grades are not the issue here." Xemnas nodded curtly as he slid his eyes over to the physician. "It seems he is lacking one major requirement in order to be eligible for the scholarship."

"And what requirement would that be?" Naraku questioned with an arched brow.

Xemnas smirked at the boy. "It seems as if you are a half credit short in physical education."

"Pardon?" Naraku questioned with eyebrows raised nearly to his hair line.

"What?" Sesshoumaru hissed at the same moment as his brows drew and if possible his eyes narrowed even further.

"In order to be eligible for the scholarship you must have thirty-two physical education credits; you have thirty-one and a half."

"So what must he do in order to obtain this half credit?" Naraku demanded although he still had an ace in his pocket in order to get Sesshoumaru the scholarship he did not want to use it until he absolutely had to.

"Two weeks worth of physical education through school or some other extracurricular activity should fulfill all necessary requirements." Xemnas nodded at the doctor although he maintained his stare upon the boy.

"You are mad." Sesshoumaru hissed.

"Silence." Naraku growled at the boy before he looked back over at the man with eyes slightly narrowed. "So you are saying with one hundred percent certainty that if he gets his missing credit he is eligible or that he will get the scholarship." Yes he was no fool and wasn't about to fall for Xemnas' tricks.

"Clever" Xemnas nodded with a smirk. "he will be eligible. Once the board and myself go over all applicants and sort out who qualifies and who doesn't we will interview each eligible applicant then make our decision."

Naraku shook his head and sighed. It looked as though he was going to have to play his ace in order to get Sesshoumaru into school and if that didn't work… well he may just as well pay for it himself. Besides it wasn't like he couldn't afford it anyway no wife, no kids, everything he had he owned he could afford to send the boy to school. "Alright you cocky bastard here's the deal; the boy gets the scholarship or Saïx finds out about what you've been doing while he's been in Romania."

Xemnas arched a brow. "I have done nothing that would cause concern for Saïx."

A dark brow shot high. "Oh?" Naraku questioned. "I believe these say different." He pulled from his pocket an envelope and slid it across Xemnas' desk.

Xemnas looked at the envelope for a moment before he picked it up and peeked inside. After a moments hesitation he put the envelope in his desk drawer and nodded at the boy. "Very well; the scholarship is yours."

"What? What is going on?" Sesshoumaru questioned as he looked between the two men.

"Nothing; just business." Naraku nodded. "And to be fair he will get the missing credit he needs." He arched a brow at the silver being. "Deal?"

"Agreed," Xemnas nodded. "I will have everything he needs to begin when the next semester starts in three weeks." He then looked over at the boy. "I will need your desired classes by no later then the first of next week." He pulled open his bottom desk drawer, withdrew a packet of papers, and slid them across his desk in the boy's direction. "Fill out the necessary documents and I will need a release from your school as well the paperwork your parent or guardian or whom ever will pay for your schooling should you decide to drop out; filled out. As with your class schedule I will need them back by no later than Monday of next week."

"What do you mean pay if I…" Sesshoumaru started but was quickly cut off by Naraku.

"If he fails to finish school I will bare the responsibility of the tuition." The physician nodded at the silver being behind the desk.

"As you wish." Xemnas agreed. "Then you will need to fill out the guardian forms since you will be responsible for him. However you will need a notarized note from the boy's parent giving you guardianship over him."

Naraku nodded his agreement.

"Wait!" Sesshoumaru hissed.

"Are we finished?" Naraku questioned completely ignoring the boy next to him.

Xemnas nodded. "Yes; and you can pick up the school's classes and schedule from the top drawer of Saïx's desk."

"It's been a pleasure." Naraku nodded as he stood up and grabbed Sesshoumaru by the arm.

"Undoubtedly." Xemnas agreed in dismissal.

Naraku quickly left the office dragging a protesting Sesshoumaru behind him and didn't stop until he pulled the schedule from Saïx's desk and had the boy securely in the car. "Damn bastard!" Naraku growled with a shake of his head.

Sesshoumaru glowered at the doctor. "Forget him and tell me just what the hell happened in there!"

Naraku looked over at the boy in the passenger's seat and smirked. "You are going to college on a scholarship. All you need to do is fulfill the requirement of two weeks worth of physical education and you're in."

"That's not what I'm talking about!" He hissed. "What was that with the envelope and who is this Saïx and what is he afraid of Saïx finding out and what do you mean you'll pay for my college if I drop out and my dad will never give you guardianship over me…"

"Take a breath before you pass out." Naraku smirked with a hand held up to silence the boy. "Do not worry about any of that. You will focus on going to school and nothing else. I will speak with your father this afternoon when he arrives at my office."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his hard ambers upon the doctor. "Why is my father coming to your office?"

"He's the one who requested to speak to me so I know about as much as you do." Naraku shrugged as he backed out of his parking space. "I'm sure it has to do with you working for me and your schooling." He put the car in drive and left the office complex. "So what do you want to do for the rest of the day?"

Sesshoumaru stared at the doctor. "Do for the rest of the day? Aren't you supposed to be at work?"

Naraku nodded. "Yes but Kei is coming in today and I am in no mood to deal with him."

"Why?" Sesshoumaru questioned with a cock of his head.

"He's a prankster hell bent on driving Kageromaru to madness and somehow he always manages to drag me in to his scheming then sticks it to me when it all goes wrong." He snorted. "So he's on his own today."

"Are you guys doctors or children?" Sesshoumaru bit out.

"I would assume a little of both. When you're in the field of life and death it's not always easy so you have to behave in ways that keeps you from falling into the dark depression of death." He pulled the car onto the expressway and headed out of the city.

"Why did you become a doctor?"

"For the challenge." Naraku grinned. "So many things to remember, new diseases, obscure illness', trying to sort out a cure for the ailment someone is suffering from it's like a challenging puzzle. Not every piece goes to the same puzzle but with a little creative problem solving you can make the wrong piece fit and still get a big picture out of it. Then sometimes you can't get the pieces to fit at all and that's when…"

"People die." Sesshoumaru cut him off.

Naraku nodded sadly. "Yes." He looked over at the boy and smiled ready to change the topic. "So what do you want to be when you grow up?"

Sesshoumaru sighed. "I don't know. Sometimes I think I want to be an artist, sometimes a writer, and others a lawyer. Yet when I really think about it none of those things are jobs I would really want."

"Well you have plenty of time to test various areas while you are in college you have youth on your side." Naraku smirked.

"Yea I guess." Sesshoumaru agreed as he set his elbow on the door handle and set his chin on his palm. "I just know that I don't want to end up like my dad." He sighed sadly. "I know that sounds cruel but I see him working so hard and he never really ever gets time for us… for him." He whispered the last part.

"Well if you play your cards right you can get out of school while you both can still do things together and you can take care of your father for awhile."

"I like that." Sesshoumaru smiled a small smile.

Naraku caught the smile the boy was giving. "So you do smile then."

Sesshoumaru quickly schooled his features and glared at the doctor.

Naraku grunted. "Hmm… kind of like a shooting star if you don't look fast enough it's gone and you missed it."

Sesshoumaru glowered at the doctor for a moment longer. "Where are we going anyway?" He hissed; quickly reverting back to his cold stoic self.

"My house."

"Your house? Why?"

"Why not? We don't have anything else to do for the rest of the day." He looked over at the boy. "Unless you can think of something."

Sesshoumaru stared at him silently before he shook his head.

"Well I suppose we will figure something out when we get there." Naraku nodded. "So long as we are back by three we are free to do as we please."

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "You are like a school skipping juvenile."

"Well," Naraku grinned. "you have to have your fun when you can because you never know when your end will come."

"Spoken like a true doctor." Sesshoumaru snorted.

Naraku chuckled at that. "It's who I am."

xx

Naraku rubbed his chin in thoughtful contemplation. "An accountant?"

Sesshoumaru stared at the doctor from across the table and scrunched his nose with a small shake of his head. "Sounds too boring."

"Therapist?"

Deep ambers widened slightly. "Hmm… People talking about their deepest darkest secrets." He nodded. "Put that into the maybe pile."

Naraku wrote down therapist on the paper in the middle column listed maybe then picked up the class list. "Okay; let's see here." He nodded as he trailed his finger down over the list. "Architecture; it falls under artistry yet isn't exactly considered art."

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "No; I don't want any art class. I like my art as a hobby not a job."

Naraku sighed deeply as he stared critically at the boy. "We have nearly gone through the entire list and you have nothing under the yes category, two under maybe, and everything else as a no. Do you have any idea of what you want to do with your life?"

The boy shrugged his shoulder. "I know I don't want to deal with someone telling me what to do, when to do it, and how it should be done."

"Well; unless you start your own business or become independently wealthy through your own smarts that doesn't leave you with a lot of options. You have to start out somewhere and work your way up from there."

"How about you just adopt me and give me everything you own." Sesshoumaru nodded liking the sound of that.

Naraku grunted. "No boy; you want what I have you will have to work for it."

Sesshoumaru leaned across the table and made the most innocent pouty face he could muster. "I must mean something to you since you are going through so much trouble for me." He cocked his head slightly. "No wife, no kids, nothing but yourself to take care of so why not make me yours so I am set for life."

Naraku arched a brow as he stared at the boy. "So willing to give up your father for the sake of not having to do for yourself."

"No" Sesshoumaru shook his head. "it's a packaged deal. You get me and my dad."

At that two dark brows shot high. "Let me get this straight." He leaned towards the boy. "You want me to take care of you and your father?" His eyes narrowed slightly. "And what do I get out of the deal?"

"I don't know." Sesshoumaru shrugged. "What do you want?"

"What are you willing to give?" He countered knowing full well that he was treading a dangerous line and if he wasn't careful things would not end good.

Sesshoumaru smirked at his physician. "It depends on what you want."

The doctor stared at the boy trying to figure out how to backpedal out of the situation he was about to get himself into. He suddenly smirked at the boy causing Sesshoumaru to lean away from him. "If I am to take responsibility for you and your father you will go to school and get your degree as a lawyer." He held his hand up when the boy opened his mouth to protest. "I am not through." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Not only will you get your degree as a lawyer you will work to get a Ph.D. in law."

Sesshoumaru glowered at the doctor. "I will not."

Naraku smirked at the boy. "Well then what do you plan on doing with your life?"

"I hate you." Sesshoumaru hissed.

"Be that as it may I am not going to take care of you so can sit on your butt for the rest of your life." He held up the class schedule for him to see. "We have thirty some classes you can choose from which will it be?"

Sesshoumaru sighed deeply as he glowered at the doctor. "Fine," he bit out. "physics then."

At that Naraku's brows shot to his hairline. "A little ambitious are we?"

Hard gold narrowed upon the doctor. "No; it's easy. You said you saw my school reports therefore you should know what classes I have taken. Plus with physics I don't have to work for anyone exactly. I can stay at home and do my work."

"So now you want to be a recluse?" Naraku arched a brow at the boy.

Sesshoumaru shrugged his shoulder. "I don't like people. They treat me like I'm stupid because I'm different."

Naraku shook his head. "You can't let what happens to you now define your future. You won't always be fifteen you know and people won't always think of you the same way."

Sesshoumaru waved his hand through the air in dismissal. "It doesn't mean I won't always think of people the way I do."

"Boy you better change your way of thinking or you will never get anywhere in life." Naraku nodded at him.

Sesshoumaru sat back in his chair and snorted. "My life is just fine the way it is. If I want to get anywhere then I will and if I don't it means I didn't want it in the first place."

Naraku shook his head. "You are one strange child."

"I'm not a child." Sesshoumaru huffed.

"That sounds like a child to me." Naraku nodded as he began filling out the necessary paperwork Xemnas requested. "Pouting is very unbecoming for one such as yourself." He smirked.

"I hate you." Sesshoumaru hissed as he glowered at the man and had to wonder how his life suddenly became so tangled up with this Dr. Caractacus and just how much of his life was the doctor going to control?


	9. Chapter 9

"I will not!" Sesshoumaru growled at his father.

Toga narrowed his eyes upon his son. "Take your butt out into the waiting room and sit there quietly. I have quite had it with your mouth." He growled.

"No!"

Naraku shook his head. "If you go out there there's a good chance you will cross paths with Kageromaru." He nodded then nearly chuckled when the boy's eyes glinted.

"Fine!" Sesshoumaru bit out before stormed out of the office slamming the door behind him.

Toga looked over at the doctor and drew his brows in questions. "Who is this Kageromaru?"

Naraku chuckled. "He is a colleague of mine and apparently your son wants to destroy the man. Which I must say if given enough time he may just succeed in his task." He nodded.

Toga sighed deeply. "If I didn't know any better I would swear that he's been dropped on his head one too many times."

"Sesshoumaru is fine just a little misunderstood." Naraku grinned.

"I'd say a lot misunderstood." Toga countered then waved his hand through the air to change the topic. "Now I wanted to talk to you about my son working here, his college, and why you have taken such an interest in my boy."

Naraku rubbed his chin with his knuckles in thought for a moment before he began. "Mr. Taisho your son has deemed it necessary to blame me for the misery brought upon you both by your ex-wife." He held his had up to silence the man when he opened his mouth to respond. "Yes; I know it's not my fault as does your son. However; because he is so determined to make things easier for you and bares the weight of your hardship upon his shoulders I have offered him to work here in exchange for portions of my bill."

"That is not his responsibility." Toga growled as he glared deadly at the doctor.

"Oh? I believe he would say differently." He nodded. "Also by working for me he will be granted a full scholarship. He has already decided his classes and begins school in three weeks."

"This full scholarship how did you come by it?"

Naraku smirked at the large man. "Xemnas the head of the scholarship program owed me a favor so I cashed it in. He gave Sesshoumaru the scholarship provided your son takes an outside physical education class."

Toga stared hard at the man for a long silent moment. "So what do you get out of this?"

"A clear conscience." Naraku nodded. "Like I've said Sesshoumaru has blamed me numerous times for his misery."

"He knows as well as both of us that none of this is your fault."

"True" Naraku agreed. "but he has taken to putting the blame on me since there seems to be no one else he can take his anger out on. I don't mind it being I find it more entertaining than anything." He shrugged. "So in exchange for being his punching bag I have placed an offer on the table that will help both of you and get him into college for free. This is an opportunity that neither of you can afford to pass up."

"And what is the catch?" Toga questioned suspiciously knowing full well that things like this were never truly free.

"Clever" Naraku grinned. "the catch is this if Sesshoumaru decides to drop out of school the guardian will have to pay for all tuition."

"The guardian? Why did you say guardian?" Toga questioned suspiciously.

Naraku sighed deeply knowing that Toga was not going to like what he was about to say in the least. "Because should Sesshoumaru drop out I will bare the consequences of his actions. It is through me that he is getting into school and as such I have a heavy interest in making sure he goes and doesn't drop out. Plus if the burden was placed upon you you and I both know he wouldn't go."

"You have only known my son for a short time and here you are taking on such responsibility for him. It doesn't make sense and I do not like it. Are you doing anything to him?" He threatened.

Naraku shook his head. "Of course not." He bit back.

"Then why and do not lay that load of crap about having a clear conscience on me either."

"Very well." Naraku sighed. "I find your son to be rather intriguing. He's nothing like kids his own age hell he's nothing like most adults. I can see the potential he has and want to see him attain the happiness that has eluded him and you for so long. True I do not gain much from doing this for him but I also do this for myself."

He leaned towards the man on the other side of his desk. "In my profession do you have any idea how many children I have seen die or how many people I have seen suffer due to illness or injury. In almost every case of an adult suffering there is a child that is now burdened with the threat of losing a parent or having a parent that is disabled for the rest of their life." He leaned back in his chair and shook his head sadly. "I have seen their faces when they are told that their mom or dad and even in some cases both are either dead or disabled and sometimes even told that their parent won't recognize them. I think that this is my way of trying to make up to those kids for not being able to return to them the same parent before the incident that brought them into my care."

Toga stared at the man and could fully understand what he was talking about. Since more often than not he worried about what was going to happen to Sesshoumaru should something happen to him and the devastation his son would suffer through. "It isn't your fault that those children or their parents become injured, sick, or die."

"Isn't it?" Naraku questioned with an arched brow. "The second they are in my care I am responsible for their lives and the families look to me to save them and sometimes I can't." He stared at the man across the desk sadly. "Do you know what it is like to have to face those people and tell them that they will never see the one they love alive again? Tell me how do you tell a parent that you have done everything you could but you were unable to save their child? There is no easy way to tell someone that the one they love has died. So you have to become desensitized to life and death to cope with it."

"I understand that but I still don't see what that has to do with my son."

"In the grand scheme of things nothing." He shrugged. "To me however everything. The truth of the matter is this I see in your son the same loss all those parents and children who have lost someone. I want to rectify my failure of not being able to save their lives."

Toga drew his brows deeply. "And you think that by doing this for my son will rectify your guilt of not being able to save a life? It makes no sense."

"Yes" Naraku nodded. "I don't expect this to make sense to you, him, or anyone else. Hell even I find it to be rather ridiculous. Yet somehow it feels like this is something I have to do." He smiled. "I can assure you that I have no intention of bringing harm to your son in anyway. I just want to save him."

Toga shook his head as he slumped into his chair. He didn't understand why this doctor decided that he needed to save his son's life hell he didn't think Sesshoumaru needed saving. He sighed deeply as he stared at the doctor. "If I allow this what needs to be done?"

"You will need to sign guardianship over to me." Naraku nodded. "This way should he decide to quit school I will bare the financial responsibility."

"I can not allow you to do such a thing." Toga growled. "If my son doesn't finish school then it will be my responsibility and no others."

Naraku shook his head. "It's was the only way to ensure he was accepted."

"I don't understand." Toga drew his brows deeply.

"The cost of the full scholarship is roughly sixty-five to seventy-five thousand. That covers school costs, books, and whatever else your son will need for school." Naraku sighed knowing this was going to get into a touchy area with the man. "Now with Sesshoumaru's past medical history and the amount you are in debt due to the medical bills they wouldn't have given Sesshoumaru the scholarship." Yes he was lying but it was the only way to ensure Sesshoumaru would go to school and keep him from worrying about his father.

Toga stared at the man for a long silent moment. "Let me get this straight. You are willing to take the financial responsibility for my son's schooling? What do you gain from this?"

Naraku shook his head. "Like I said I do this not just for him but for myself and those I was unable to save. Plus you know as well as I do that were you to be responsible for the scholarship Sesshoumaru wouldn't go. Just think of me as a partner investing in the future; Sesshoumaru's future."

Toga sighed and shook his head. The doctor was right and he knew it. "What do I need to do?" As much as he didn't want to sign guardianship of his son over to the doctor he also knew this was the only way Sesshoumaru would go.

Both men suddenly looked towards the door when a rather loud bang shuddered through the wall. Naraku pressed his lips together and shook his head. "Not again."

Toga looked over at the doctor who was rising to his feet. "What is going on?"

"I'm going to kill him." Naraku nodded at the man as he made his way to the door only to stop just feet away when it suddenly swung violently open.

"Here." Kageromaru growled as he shoved Sesshoumaru at Naraku.

Sesshoumaru struggled to break free of Naraku's hold. "I'm going to kill him!"

"Be silent." Naraku growled.

"He spanked me!" Sesshoumaru bellowed.

"It was no more then you deserved." Kageromaru growled. "I have warned you boy not to cross me and every time you do it will end like this one." He then turned and left the office.

"I will kill you!" Sesshoumaru growled.

"Shut-up and stop acting like an infant." Naraku ordered with a small pinch to Sesshoumaru's shoulders.

Sesshoumaru spun on the doctor and glowered at him. "Don't tell me what to do."

Naraku leaned down until they were nose to nose. "Did we not just have this conversation this morning?" When the boy's deep amber eyes narrowed he smirked at him. "I see. So this is your last chance the next time you antagonize Kageromaru it will cost you dearly. Do you understand?"

Sesshoumaru stared at the doctor for a moment before he huffed and moved to sit in the chair next to his father.

Naraku smirked as he moved back to his seat and looked over at Toga. "Now where were we?"

Toga stared hard at the doctor before he looked over at his son. "What the hell is going on around here?"

"Nothing." Sesshoumaru huffed as he crossed his arms across his chest in a very indignant manner.

Naraku stared at the boy. "Nothing my foot." He growled then looked over at the boy's father. "Like I said your son has decided for reasons yet discovered that he doesn't quite like my colleague Kageromaru and has taken it upon himself to destroy the man. In return Kageromaru has decided that each time Sesshoumaru antagonizes him he will be punished like a proper child should by getting a spanking."

Toga looked over at his son. "Is this true?"

Sesshoumaru continued to glower at the doctor when he answered. "Yes but that man's a bumbling buffoon and he deserves what he gets." He growled.

Toga pinched the bridge of his nose in order to press away the oncoming headache. "Boy if you don't get a better personality you will never get anywhere in life."

"We've had this talk before." Sesshoumaru bit out. "I'm not changing for anyone."

"Well you can't go around antagonizing people just because you don't like them." Naraku pointed out. "One of these days you are going to get yourself into a situation that you can't get out of."

Sesshoumaru snorted. "I can take care of myself."

"We'll see about that." Naraku nodded.

Toga stared at his son. "Wait until we get home. You have a lot of explaining to do and I don't want to hear this I'm not changing crap out you either."

Sesshoumaru glowered over at his father. "Fine!"

Naraku smirked over at the boy then looked over at his father. "Now before we were so rudely interrupted here's the form I will need you to sign and have notarized and don't worry I'm not going to try and take him away from you or anything this is just to guarantee that he actually goes."

Toga leaned forward when the doctor slid the form over to him. "And this is a guaranteed scholarship?"

Naraku nodded. "Yes all he has to do is get the missing physical education credits and he's in."

"Yea by blackmail." Sesshoumaru muttered.

Naraku glared at the boy.

"Blackmail?" Toga looked over at the doctor. "What blackmail? Who?" He felt like he was being kept in the dark and he did not like it one bit.

"Owing someone a favor is not blackmail." Naraku nodded curtly as he stared hard at the boy.

Sesshoumaru snorted and rolled his eyes. "If you say so." He waved his hand through the air.

"Do you need something to do?" Naraku questioned in a threatening manner. "Believe me I can find you something more productive to do if I must."

"No." Sesshoumaru bit out.

"Then I strongly suggest you sit there and be silent."

Sesshoumaru opened his mouth to respond to that but an arched brow by the doctor made him snap it closed.

"Very good." Naraku nodded. "Now," he turned his attention back to the man across from him. "there was no blackmail involved here, Xemnas owed me a favor and I cashed it in."

Toga stared at the doctor for a long moment before he sighed deeply and picked the form up. "I will have this back by tomorrow."

Naraku nodded at the man. "Now I will leave it up to you to make sure he gets into an extra curricular activity for the physical education requirements. Classes begin in three weeks so that doesn't leave a lot of time to get him ready. Between now and then I will get all the documents put together and into Xemnas along with copies to you. Also," he cast a quick glare at the boy. "if you could get him to create a full class schedule for me to submit it would be a great help. Thus far all he has chosen is physics as a major and he still needs a minor and two electives to go with it."

"Physics?" Toga drew his brows and looked over at his son who did nothing but shrug at him.

"Yes it seems he finds the subject easy." Naraku answered. "However once he gets into class we'll see if he still holds to that same thought."

Toga looked at the doctor and nodded. "I will make sure he is set."

"Good." Naraku nodded back. "Well that takes care of everything if there is anything else I will let you know and if you have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to call me."

"I'm sure there will be." Toga nodded as he rose to his feet and held out his hand. "Thanks for all you are doing for my boy even if I still don't quite get why." He again nodded as he shook the doctor's hand.

"No problem," Naraku smiled. "and whether or not any of it ever makes sense all that will matter in the end is if Sesshoumaru succeeds." He looked over at the boy as he released Toga's hand. "And I mean IF."

Sesshoumaru glowered at the doctor. "I will and you know it!" He bit out as he jumped to his feet and pointed a sharp finger at him.

"We'll see… we will definitely see." Naraku smirked at him.

Toga placed his hand on his son's shoulder more than certain he was going to jump across the desk and attack the doctor. "Come on lets go home." He ordered in his most authoritative fatherly voice then nodded at the doctor. "Thank you."

"My pleasure." Naraku grinned back then looked over at Sesshoumaru. "And I will see you here bright and early tomorrow morning and between now and then I strongly suggest you work on your people skills."

"My people skills are just fine." He growled.

Naraku snorted at that. "So said the boy that just got spanked like a child."

"I hate you!" Sesshoumaru hissed, turned, and stormed out of his office.

Toga shook his head. "I don't know what you have done to my boy but whatever it is keep up the good work."

"Thank you? I think." Naraku nodded with drawn brows.

"One day you will understand." Toga chuckled. "You said it yourself Sesshoumaru isn't your normal boy."

"That he isn't." Naraku agreed. "That he definitely isn't."

Toga nodded. "If I have any questions I will call you and thanks again."

Naraku nodded at the man and watched him leave his office when his intercom buzzed drawing his attention to the speaker.

"Naraku; Jak is on line two and he's not very happy." Kohaku's voice sing songed.

Naraku sighed deeply and plopped down into his chair. "If it isn't one thing it's something else." He reached out, hit the button on the phone for line two, and before a single word could pass his lips Jak was off and running with his temper tantrum.

He put his fingers to his temples and began rubbing little circles as Jak's shrill voice continued to blare through the speaker. "Perhaps I should move back to Japan." He sighed deeply as that sounded like a very pleasant idea at the moment a VERY pleasant idea indeed.


	10. Chapter 10

The much awaited Jak and Sess meeting is here; hope you enjoy. Much love for you all. Keva

xx

"I want to know what the hell is going on!"

Sesshoumaru stared at his father. "And I keep telling you nothing."

Toga stared across the table at his son trying desperately to keep himself from grabbing him and shaking the truth right out of him. "This doctor is taking way too much interest in you and I want to know why."

"I don't know." Sesshoumaru bit back. "Why don't you ask him and find out."

"I did and he fed me some nonsense about saving you where he couldn't save others." He sighed in agitation. "I'm going to ask you again. Is he molesting you?"

"NO!" Deep ambers narrowed deadly. "Why do you automatically assume I'm being molested by every adult I'm around?"

Toga matched the deadly glare of his son. "Because you have yet to give me a reason to believe you when you say he's not. Just like you kept it a secret from me about what happened between you and Koga."

Sesshoumaru sighed and shook his head. "You promised me you would forget it."

"I did no such thing." Toga growled. "I can't believe you expect me to sit here and act like everything is fine and look the other way when someone harms you. You are my son and it's my job as your father to protect you even at the cost of my own life. I WILL NOT sit idly by and do nothing while you are being harmed in any way!"

"But…" Sesshoumaru trailed off when his father held up a hand.

"No," Toga growled. "I'm done hearing your excuses and reasons and whatever else you have to say."

"Does that mean I have to stop working?"

Toga narrowed his eyes and glowered at his son. "No I will allow it since it seems to be the only way to get your stubborn little ass into school. HOWEVER there are going to be limits to what you can and can not do while working there."

"Like what?"

"For starters you are not to leave the premises for any reason unless you call me first. Secondly you will tell me if one single person lays a hand on you. Finally you will not spend one second alone with this doctor that has taken such an interest in you. Am I clear?"

Sesshoumaru nodded his head. "Yea."

"Don't play with me boy." Toga threatened.

"I hear you just fine!" Sesshoumaru hissed. "You know I don't see what the big deal is. You weren't this upset by it when we were there so why now? It's because of mom; isn't it?"

"This has nothing to do with your mother. It has everything to do with people taking an interest in you when they have no reason to do so."

Sesshoumaru stared at his father and suddenly widened his eyes in horror. "No!" He shook his head.

"Yes." Toga nodded curtly. "I know everything and I know you lied to me as did that sorry bastard."

"How?"

"Kagome" Toga nodded. "she told me everything."

Sesshoumaru slumped in is chair and sighed deeply as he stared blankly at the table. "So what are you going to do?" He was going to kill that mouthy little bitch and make her pay for tattling.

"I haven't decided yet. What I have decided is that you my dear boy are going to be on a very short leash from now on."

"I'm not a dog!" He hissed as he stared deadly at his father.

Toga gave a small curt shake of his head. "No you are not but you can't be trusted. You lie to me and keep secrets from me which leaves me with no choice but to exercise my authority over you."

"I'm not a wayward child!" He snapped his head up and stared at his father.

At that Toga grunted. "You are. As much as you don't like it you are still a minor and as such I am the ultimate authority over anything and everything you do in your life until you are old enough to be called an adult." He narrowed his eyes upon his son when he opened his mouth to respond. "Do not challenge me boy."

"Fine!" Sesshoumaru hissed as he rose from his seat. "May I be excused?"

Toga stared hard at him. "I mean it Sesshoumaru."

"I heard you." He bit back. "I just want to go to my room."

Toga gave a curt nod and watched as his son left the room. As much as he wanted to trust his son he couldn't and he knew without a doubt that Sesshoumaru wasn't going to obey him. That kid was an adult trapped in a child's body who wanted nothing more than to break free and live life his own way.

Yet as much as he wanted his freedom he couldn't give it to him. He was his son and he always would be and he would do whatever it took to make sure Sesshoumaru lived a long healthy life.

xx

The next morning Sesshoumaru sat in front of the desk and stared at the computer screen. "What?" He shook his head and drew his brows.

Kohaku sighed deeply. "Okay one more time. You take the patient's information and type it into section one. You then click over to this window and enter the code numbers for their visit. Once done you click save, set the file aside, and move onto the next one. See; simple."

Sesshoumaru looked up at him. "I can't type."

Kohaku stared at him with widened eyes. "Really?"

"So; what's wrong with that?" Sesshoumaru bit out as he glowered at him.

"Nothing;" Kohaku shook his head. "I just find it odd that in this day and age with all the computers and such that there's still people out there that can't type."

"I prefer pen and paper." Sesshoumaru nodded curtly.

"Okay" Kohaku nodded. "how about we give you something else to do. Do you think you can answer the phone and take messages?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged his shoulder. "I guess."

"No." Naraku shook his head at them as he walked by.

Kohaku and Sesshoumaru watched him as he disappeared around the corner before they looked at each other. "Well I guess that answers that. Okay" Kohaku smirked. "answering the phone is out and you can't type; how about filing?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged. "How hard could it be? C comes before D and after B."

"Ahh..." Kohaku grinned. "We don't file alphabetically it's all numerical. Come on I'll show you."

Sesshoumaru got out of his seat and followed the little receptionist and had to marvel at how short he was. The top of his head barely reached his shoulder; which meant Kohaku was four foot nine possibly five. He always thought he was short but Kohaku made him feel rather tall.

"Okay" Kohaku nodded as they stood in the door way leading to the file room. "this is where we keep all our files. When we're done with a patient's file we set it in this tray," he pointed to the tray sitting on the table by the door which was beyond overflowing with files. "we've fallen a little behind."

"I can tell." Sesshoumaru snorted as he stared at the pile of manila folders.

"What you'll do is take a file, get the number off the side, and put it where it goes numerically. Simple." He picked up a file and handed it to him. "The cabinets go from lowest to highest left to right top to bottom."

Sesshoumaru nodded his head. "Boring." He snorted.

"I agree but someone has to do it." Kohaku nodded. "If you need anything let me know."

"Okay." Sesshoumaru sighed then went about the task of putting the files away.

"Oh and one more thing," Kohaku called as he stuck his head through the door. "Jak will be here just before lunch and Naraku said you will go and work with him in the lab."

Sesshoumaru furrowed his brows. "Doing what?"

"I don't know." Kohaku shrugged. "Naraku will talk to you about it before Jak gets here."

"Alllriiight." Sesshoumaru drawled knowing full well that Naraku was going to do nothing but give him a lecture on his behavior and people skills.

It was a few hours later when Kohaku entered the room to check on him and found him sitting at the table hunched over a file folder. "So how's it coming?" He questioned with brows deeply drawn.

Sesshoumaru shrugged. "I'm done." He nodded then went back to drawing on an empty file folder he found.

Kohaku stared at him. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I don't want you to give me another job like this one." He snorted. "I've probably wasted a good hour and a half of my life in here putting files away and I will never get that time back."

"Yes but someone had to do it and since you have no other skills we had to give you something to do." Kohaku countered.

Sesshoumaru glowered at him but said nothing as really he couldn't argue with logic like that. "So now what?"

Kohaku stared at him for a silent moment in thought. "Maybe we could teach you how to type." He nodded. "Yes; come on." He turned and left the room.

Sesshoumaru stared at the empty doorway for a second before he got up and followed the little receptionist to the front of the office.

"Okay." Kohaku waved a hand towards the chair in front of the computer. "Have a seat and we'll..." He trailed off when Jak stormed into the office. "Oh no; he's early."

Sesshoumaru watched the man storm past them and disappear down the hall then looked up at Kohaku. "Who was that?"

"That would be Jak." He nodded with a pat on Sesshoumaru's shoulder. "Don't worry he's all bark and no bite."

"No wonder everyone thinks he's a girl." Sesshoumaru snorted.

Kohaku chuckled at that. "The rumor travels fast. If you think he looks girly wait until you hear him; I swear he bitches worse than any female I have ever met in my life." He chuckled. "However if you ever want a good laugh talk to Kei about Jak he has some rather _interesting_ theories on him."

"Like what?"

"Oh things like Jak is half man half woman or that he's really female and moonlights as a man." He shook his head.

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "Is this a doctor's office or a playground?"

"Jak causes the rumors to fly by his own behavior." Kohaku nodded. "You'll see what I mean after you work with him."

"I can't wait." Sesshoumaru grunted sarcastically.

Kohaku chuckled at that then shook his head. "Alright let's get you started on learning how to type. First…" Kohaku trailed off when Jak's yelling echoed down the hall. "See what I mean." He sighed and nodded to the boy in the chair.

Sesshoumaru snorted as he stared in the direction the voice was coming from and had to smirk as he knew without a doubt that this Jak person was in Naraku's office yelling his head off at the doctor.

xx

"Jak" Naraku growled. "shut up. I can't hear myself think with your shrill voice echoing around my office."

"MY VOICE IS NOT SHIRLL!"

Naraku narrowed his eyes upon his assistant. "If you don't close that loud mouth of yours you will find yourself on a permanent vacation."

Jak snapped his mouth shut and glared deadly at the doctor.

"Now," Naraku started. "the reason I called you back is so you can train Sesshoumaru in the lab."

"Doing what?" Jak hissed.

"Calm down he's not going to take your job." Naraku sighed. "However what he is going to do is rewrite all your files," he held up one for his assistant to see. "such as this one."

Jak stared at the report he wrote up just before he left. "What is wrong with it?"

"Can you honestly tell me you can read these chicken scratches?" Naraku questioned with an arched brow. "Your note taking and ability to write reports leaves a lot to be desired and could cost a patient dearly if I can't read what you have written. Therefore you will help Sesshoumaru go through your files and rewrite them so they will be readable." He held up his hand to silence the man. "Then once you are done you can return to your vacation or whatever it was you were doing."

"And who is this Sesshoumaru person?" Jak demanded icily.

At that Naraku smirked. "Your worst nightmare I would imagine."

"What does that even mean?"

Naraku pressed the button on the intercom for Kohaku's desk and when the receptionist answered he smirked at his assistant. "Kohaku will you send Sesshoumaru to my office please?"

"He's on his way."

"Perfect." Naraku grinned, let go of the button, and stared at the male sitting on the other side of his desk while waiting for the storm known as Sesshoumaru to bust into his office.

Jak narrowed his eyes upon the doctor. "Why are you smiling like that? What is going on?"

Naraku said nothing he just arched a brow and smirked when his door swung open revealing a glowering Sesshoumaru. "Come have a seat." He waved the boy towards the empty chair next to Jak.

Sesshoumaru walked into the room and stood next to the chair while glowering at the doctor. He sensed that Naraku was up to something that would make him look like a fool and he did not like it one bit. "What do you want?"

Naraku smirked at him and couldn't wait to see how things played out between the boy and his assistant. "Sesshoumaru this is my assistant Jak you will be spending the rest of the day with him rewriting his reports."

Sesshoumaru cast a glance over at the man then looked back at the doctor. "My dad said I can't leave here without talking to him first and I am NOT going to spend my day fixing someone else's work when they should have done it right in the first place."

"I did do my work right the first time!" Jak bit out.

Sesshoumaru cast a deadly glare over at the man. "If that was true we wouldn't be in here right now; would we?" He crossed his arms across his chest.

Jak gasped like he had just been hit in the chest. "Why you little…"

"Be silent Jak." Naraku growled and stared at the boy. "I will call your father and speak with him and you will do as you are told as my employee."

"Fine!" Sesshoumaru bit out and cast a glare at Naraku's assistant. "I can't believe I have to fix your work." He sneered then turned and stormed out of the office.

"I WILL NOT WORK WITH THAT BOY!" Jak bellowed at the doctor.

Naraku pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed deeply. "You will or I will find another assistant."

Jak widened his eyes hugely. "You wouldn't?" He gasped.

"I would and preferably one that isn't so shrill. Now go and the sooner you get done the sooner you can go back on your vacation." He waved his hand through the air. "I'll bring the boy over after I call his father," he stared at his assistant. "and yes I know you hate me."

Jak jumped to his feet, mouth opening and closing, with eyes wider than humanly possible and nothing to say. So after giving his employer a glare that should have made him wither and die on the spot he turned and stormed out of the office.

Naraku shook his head and had to wonder why he bothered keeping Jak around. Then again he did keep Kei out of his hair and he couldn't wait to see him square off with Sesshoumaru. He was sure it was going to be a very interesting afternoon.

However before he could do anything he needed to call Sesshoumaru's father which he found to be rather odd. The man knew his son was working here so why would Sesshoumaru need to call him and let him know he was leaving the office? There was only one way to find out; call.


	11. Chapter 11

Dialing the number he had scratched out on his desk calendar he lightly drummed his fingers on the desk until the man answered. "Mr. Taisho this is Dr. Caractacus," he started when he heard Sesshoumaru's father answer the phone. "and Sesshoumaru tells me that he needs to call you if he is to leave the office; is this correct?"

"Yes."

Naraku drew his brows deeply. "May I ask why?"

"I am well aware of your reasons for wanting to help my son but that doesn't mean I understand them. I'm finding it more than a little disturbing that you have taken such an interest in my son especially with some of the things that have come to my attention as of late."

Now he was more confused than ever. "I don't follow. If you find my interest in your son to be such an issue why are you allowing him to work here?"

"As you are well aware Sesshoumaru won't do anything if he thinks it's going to add to my financial burden. So allowing you to cover for his schooling was the only way to ensure he would go therefore I have allowed him to work for you for that reason alone. You must understand I'm his father and I want to make sure he is safe and okay."

"I understand what you are saying and certainly don't blame you for wanting to make sure no more harm comes to him." Naraku nodded. "However I can assure you that I have no intentions on bringing any sort of ill to your son. I just want to give him a better chance at life in the name of those I could not save."

"As you have said but I still find myself rather dubious. Put yourself in my shoes; would you not question why your son's doctor was taking such an interest in him? Things like this aren't a common occurrence and it doesn't settle well on my shoulders."

He was more confused then ever and was beginning to think that the Taisho's were the most unstable beings he had ever met. "True," he answered with a small nod. "yet I'm getting the impression that you think I am or will bring some sort of harm to your son."

"It wouldn't be the first time."

"Excuse me?" He questioned not really sure they were on the same page. "I can assure you Mr. Taisho that I'm not going to poison your son."

"That is not what I am talking about."

It suddenly clicked in his mind causing his eyes to widened hugely. "Are you insinuating that I might be molesting him?"

"Are you?"

He just couldn't believe it; if he wasn't so shocked he would have told the man to rot in hell and hung up on him. "I most certainly am not," he bit out. "I am a doctor not some pedophile. I would not put my career on the line and risk my entire life just for the thrill of touching a child."

"Yet people have been known to do just that."

He couldn't argue with that nor would he try. "I don't know what I can say or do to prove to you that I am not harming your son in any way…" he trailed off as a thought occurred to him. "someone else has haven't they." When no answer was forthcoming from the other end he knew he had hit the nail dead on.

"Yes." Came the whispered answer.

He jabbed his fingers through his hair in agitation and shook his head. How much was one boy suppose to suffer through in his life? No wonder Sesshoumaru disliked so many people. "I'm sorry." He sighed since that was the only thing he could think of to say.

"Now you understand my concern."

"I do." He nodded. "Is there anything I can do?"

"No this is between me, him, and the persons that have done this to him. I just need to know that you aren't doing anything to him and that you don't have any intentions on doing so later."

"I swear on the oath I took to become a doctor that I have no intentions on doing any harm of any kind to your son; now or ever."

"In time we will see."

Naraku sighed deeply as he knew there was nothing he could say to ease the man's worries and really didn't blame him either. "Well I was calling to let you know that Sesshoumaru will be working over at the hospital this afternoon with my assistant. Unless you'd prefer he didn't."

"That'll be fine; should I pick him up there or at your office when he gets done?"

"You can pick him up at my office." Naraku nodded.

"Alright I will pick him up after my shift is over."

"I'll let him know."

"Well if there isn't anything else I have to get back to work."

Naraku gave a small shake of his head. "No that's it if anything else comes up I will be in touch. Goodbye."

"Bye."

He hung up the phone and sighed deeply. He just couldn't believe that someone would bring such harm to the boy. Not only that but Sesshoumaru wouldn't say anything about it. Well there was nothing he could do to fix it and he was sure that if Sesshoumaru knew that he knew the boy would explode all over his office.

How did he get tangled up into such a mess with the Taisho's? Oh he knew the answer it was his own fault for wanting to help the boy and now there was no backing out of it. "You made your bed Naraku now lie in it." He hissed to himself before he got up to go get Sesshoumaru and take him to over to the hospital to work with Jak. At least he had that to look forward to and the war that was sure to take place between the two was going to be very interesting. "Very interesting indeed." He nodded and smirked as he walked down the hall to the front desk.

xx

"Alright this is the lab where you will be working with Jak." Naraku nodded as he led Sesshoumaru into the room.

Sesshoumaru grunted in response and glowered at the so called assistant that was pulling reports from the filing cabinet. "Why couldn't you just hire an assistant that is capable of doing their work right the first time?"

Naraku shook his head. "Well when I hired Jak he DID do his work right the first time."

"You should fire him then." Sesshoumaru nodded. "Isn't that the first rule of employment?"

"In most cases." Naraku nodded. "However in Jak's case as much as he is my assistant he also does work for many of the other doctors as well so it isn't just me that would be affected if he were terminated. Plus," he smirked at the boy. "Jak keeps Kei busy."

"Who is this Kei everyone keeps talking about?" Sesshoumaru looked up at the doctor suspiciously.

Naraku patted him on the shoulder. "In time you will meet him and when you do I suggest you watch yourself. He has a talent for finding people's flaws and making a joke of them."

Sesshoumaru snorted. "What kind of people do you work with?" He shook his head. "This sounds more like high school than a hospital."

Naraku shrugged. "Well when you're around the same people all the time and work in a collective group as we do we're all we have."

"That doesn't mean you have to act like children." Sesshoumaru counted smartly then stared at Jak as an example.

"True," Naraku agreed. "but the people you work with make the work environment so you either adapt or go insane."

"Sounds like you've all chosen to go insane." Sesshoumaru grunted.

Naraku grinned at him and mussed his hair. "You don't know how right you are."

Sesshoumaru slapped his hand from his head and glowered deadly at him.

"Come let's get this over with." He nodded at the boy then walked over to the desk with the stack of files on it.

Sesshoumaru followed the doctor over to the table and narrowed his eyes on his assistant. "So what do I have to do?"

"Well you and Jak will go through our most recent patient's files. He will tell you what his writing says and you will rewrite it so myself and any other doctor who needs the file can read it. Simple." Naraku nodded.

"It would be a lot simpler if _someone_ did it right the first time." Sesshoumaru hissed with a glare towards Jak and was received with one in kind.

"I will leave you two to it then." Naraku nodded then turned and made for the door. "Oh and if there's any problems which I'm sure there will be call Kageromaru." He smirked at the two of them and left the room.

Sesshoumaru glowered at the door before turning back to Jak. "Alright here is how this is going to work," he bit out coldly. "you are going to fix your own work while I watch and make sure you do it right."

Jak stared wide eyed at the boy. "That is not what you are here for!" He hissed with a pointed finger at the boy.

Sesshoumaru crossed his arms over his chest. "I shouldn't have to be here at all it's not my fault you don't know how to do your job."

"I know how to do my job perfectly fine!"

"You are shrill." Sesshoumaru nodded with a small scrunch to his nose before he shook his head. "Now shut up and just do your job I don't want to be here any longer than I have to."

"That's it!" Jak yelled. "I'm calling Kage…." he trailed off at the dark look the boy was giving him.

"I dare you to call him and the second I see one hair on his head in this office you will be sorry!" Sesshoumaru pointed a finger at him. "Now sit down, shut up, and fix your work!"

Jak huffed indignantly and grabbed the phone. "I don't have to put up with this! I'm a doctor not some babysitter!"

"It seems the only one who needs babysitting around here is you." Sesshoumaru nodded curtly, made his way over to the assistant, and jerked the phone from his hand. "Now listen here," he jabbed Jak in the chest with the phone. "you are going to fix your own screw ups and you are going to do it right now AND without all this bitching. Do you understand me?"

"I don't have to listen to some child!" Jak hissed as he jerked the phone from the boy's hand and slammed it down onto its base.

"That is it!" Sesshoumaru growled and snatched the phone back up.

"What are you doing?"

"Making a phone call what does it look like I'm doing?" His bit out then began punching buttons.

Jak stared at the boy suspiciously. "Who are you calling?"

Sesshoumaru snorted then turned his back to him. "Dad? Hi… well I'm calling because this man name Jak tried to molest me…" He smirked when the male behind him gasped in panic.

Jak slammed his hand down onto the phone base disconnecting the boy's phone call. "LIAR!" He yelled at the boy.

Sesshoumaru turned around to face the man and set the phone down. "You're right but if you don't get your sorry butt to work I WILL make that call," he smirked. "and I won't need proof that you did or didn't my dad will believe me. I bet you'd be quite popular in prison."

"Why you little…"

Sesshoumaru held up a silencing hand. "Save it. Just do your work and shut up."

Jak huffed indignantly before he just succumbed to his loss and went to work fixing his reports.

xx

Naraku opened the door to the lab and wasn't in the least surprised by what he saw. Jak was sitting at his desk furiously writing away and Sesshoumaru was sitting on the counter with a magazine in his lap. "What are you doing?"

Sesshoumaru waved a hand towards the doctor. "Reading; what does it look like I'm doing?"

"I thought you were suppose to be helping Jak." He arched a brow when the boy looked over at him.

"I am." He nodded curtly. "I am helping by making sure he does it right."

Naraku shook his head and left it as it was as he knew that this was going to be a losing battle anyway. "So how much have you gotten finished?"

Sesshoumaru looked from the doctor to the assistant and tilted his head thoughtfully. "My guess at the rate he's going he'll be done by tomorrow." He then sighed disappointedly. "Though if he wouldn't bitch about it so much he would get done a lot quicker."

"Little brat." Jak hissed under his breath.

"I heard that." Sesshoumaru bit back. "I told you no talking just work!"

"Alright" Naraku sighed. "Jak do you think you can finish on your own?"

He looked over at his boss and nodded his head. "Definitely."

"Good" Naraku nodded back. "come boy your dad is here to pick you up."

Sesshoumaru drew his brows deeply. "What? But he doesn't get off work until four and it's only noon."

"I believe he wishes to take you to lunch." Naraku turned and left the room with the boy following right behind him.

"Oh" Sesshoumaru nodded. "I wonder why?"

Naraku shrugged. "Maybe he wants to spend some time with you."

"I guess." Sesshoumaru agreed. "But he can spend all the time he wants with me at home."

"True" Naraku agreed. "however just because you can spend time together at home doesn't mean that's the only place you can spend time together. Remember you never know when the one you love will be gone so every minute you spend with the person you love is the most valuable."

Sesshoumaru scrunched his nose. "Eww… why are you always so morbid?"

Naraku patted him on the shoulder when they came to the doors leading outside. "I'm a doctor," he nodded. "death comes for everyone at some point you just never know for whom or when."

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes at the doctor. "Just because you are a doctor it doesn't mean you have to BE a doctor every second of the day."

"No I don't." Naraku agreed. "However because you find it so infuriating I do." He laughed at the face the boy made at him then gave him a push towards the door. "Your father awaits." He grinned then turned and left the boy standing there fuming with his last words echoing through his ears. _'I hate you.'_


	12. Chapter 12

When you get to the end you can make all the guesses you want. However you'll find out if it is or isn't later this week some time. Much love for you all. Keva

xx

"So how is work going?"

Sesshoumaru looked over at his father as he stirred his straw through his milkshake. "Nothing to brag about." He shrugged.

Toga stared at his son thoughtfully for a long moment. "How much trouble have you caused since your arrival this morning?"

"None!" He bit out. "Well I did get to yell at someone." He nodded proudly.

Toga arched a brow highly in question. "Explain."

"Well there's this scientist doctor guy…" he tilted his head slightly as his brows drew. "I think he's a guy anyway," he waved his hand though the air dismissively. "he didn't do his work right the first time so Naraku told me I had to help him redo it. I didn't think that was fair." He nodded at his father. "So I told him that he was going to fix his own work and I was going to watch and if he didn't like it too bad. He then threatened to call Naraku and tell him I wasn't doing what I was told and then I threatened him and well in the end I won."

Toga stared at his boy eyes slightly widened. "And what did you threaten him with?"

"Oh;" he again waved his hand through the air. "I told him that I would have him arrested for hitting me or something."

"You can't do that." Toga shook his head. "Just because someone won't do something you tell them to do doesn't mean you can threaten them to do what you want. The world doesn't work that way."

Sesshoumaru snorted at that. "Please that's how it works everyday. Do what we want or we'll bomb the crap out of you."

"Just because that's how they do it doesn't mean you can go around threatening others. You're supposed to be the new generation, make changes, love thy fellow man, and so on."

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes deeply at that. "Sounds more like your generation with all your hippy talk. Now my generation;" he nodded with a smirk. "is all computers, video games, and text messaging. We don't like other people that's why we don't talk face to face with them. Our friends are just words on a screen. If one day those words are gone we'll probably never notice since there will be new words to replace them."

Toga shook his head. "What a sad future it's going to be." He sighed. "Boy please tell me that you aren't one of those people."

"Come on dad." Sesshoumaru sighed. "How many video games do I have? Or how much time do I spend on the computer? Wait better yet how many friends do I have? None that's how many so you don't have to worry. I don't see people as words on a screen I see them as the insignificant worms they are. One day I will rule this world and wipe it clean of all those who I consider to be a waste of flesh and serve no real purpose to society."

"It will be a lonely world for you." Toga snorted.

Sesshoumaru huffed. "It would not. There would be some people there with me."

"Name three." Toga challenged.

"Well me, you, and Naraku." He grinned.

"You can't count yourself."

"Okay; you, Naraku, and… and…" he tapped his fingers against the table in thought. "Fine" he huffed. "you and Naraku and that's it. I can live with that."

Toga shook his head. "Again it will be a very lonely world."

"Lonely is better than miserable." Sesshoumaru countered.

"And why are you so miserable?"

"Because people are mean." He sighed. "Especially to me." He whispered under his breath.

That was the final draw; as much a Sesshoumaru wanted him to forget about what happened between him and Koga it was always there haunting him. Well he wasn't going sit there and let it slide while his son was so miserable he was going to make that bastard pay and pay dearly.

He smirked at his son to cover what he was thinking and changed the subject. "Tomorrow you start Hapkido to fulfill your physical education requirements."

Sesshoumaru stared wide eyed at his father. "What? I don't want to do that." He glowered at the man.

"You will." Toga countered and used his I'm your father so you'll do as I say voice then cocked a brow at him. "You don't even know what it is; do you?"

"No and it sounds boring and stupid." Sesshoumaru bit out.

"Just because it sounds boring and stupid doesn't mean it is and you will go no matter what you think about it."

Sesshoumaru glowered his father. "Fine," he growled. "so what is it anyway?"

"Discipline." Toga nodded. "You use discipline of coordination to build strength of the mind and body; where physical meets mental powers uniting you as a more solid being. Or so that's what the instructor said."

Sesshoumaru scrunched his nose. "Why couldn't you have picked something more like karate then some stupid meditation class?"

"Because I'm your father and I can do as I see fit especially when it comes to you." Toga nodded.

Sesshoumaru sighed deeply in defeat; he knew when his father pulled the _'I'm your father'_ routine he meant business and he was going to have to do as he said no matter what.

"I know it sounds like the most horrible thing ever but I'm sure once you start it won't seem so bad." Toga tired to comfort him. "Just give it a chance for your old dad."

Deep ambers narrowed to tiny little slits. "I hate it when you do that." He growled.

Toga smirked at him. "I know and that's why I do it." He nodded with a facetious grin. "That's the beauty of being a parent. One day when you have kids of your own you'll do the same thing."

Sesshoumaru snorted. "I will not. When I have kids I won't make them go to some stupid class they don't want to I will let them choose for themselves."

"Oh that's so easy to say now." Toga nodded. "You know I said the same thing to my mother when I was your age then you came along and all my _'let my kids do as they want'_ thoughts vanished like that." He snapped his fingers in the air. "You see son it's easy to make rules for a child you don't even have yet but when the day comes and you hold that baby for the first time everything changes. You're not dealing with a hypothetical child anymore you're dealing with a true flesh and blood living being who's whole life depends on the choices you make everyday."

"So said the man that married that psycho bi… witch." He corrected when his father narrowed his eyes at him.

"Yes and had I not you wouldn't be here today." Toga countered. "As bad as things were with her in the end she was a good mother to you in the beginning and I did love her."

"Yeah I guess." Sesshoumaru nodded. "But who's to say that I wouldn't be here even if you married someone else. Maybe you were destined to be my father no matter who you married."

"It's a possibility" Toga agreed. "but we'll never know now will we? All that matters is that you are my kid and you will always be my kid no matter what."

Sesshoumaru smiled at that. "I'm glad you're my dad."

"Well that's the nicest thing you have ever said to me." Toga grinned.

"It is not!" Sesshoumaru bit out knowing full well based on the grin he was giving him his father was going to tease him.

"My baby loooves me." He laughed.

Sesshoumaru huffed indignantly and crossed his arms over his chest. "I hate you."

"Now if that isn't Sesshoumaru speak for I love you I don't know what is."

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes at him and let a small smile play on his lips. He loved it when his father would act like this it was the only time when his father didn't show the stress of life baring down on his shoulders. If only he could fix it all and make his dad the happy man he was long before that woman he married destroyed his life then they both could be happy and never have to worry about anything ever again.

It was a nice thought but he knew better there was always something just down the road waiting to pounce on you the second you weren't looking. Then before you knew it another stress or worry was making your life miserable and the next thing you knew you're struggling to find a moments peace from the misery of it all. What was the point of life if it was one miserable thing after another? There wasn't a point. People just went through life fighting for a true happiness that they would never find because there was a misery waiting to destroy that happiness. It was stupid teeter-totter ride and he wanted off.

"Well are you ready to go; I have to get back to work." Toga nodded as he pulled his wallet out of his pocket.

"Yeah; so do I." Sesshoumaru nodded back. "I have to make sure that whiny little girl is doing his job."

Toga stared at his son. "Girl his?"

Sesshoumaru waved his hand through the air. "It's a guy that whines and screams like a little girl. It's my job to make sure he does his work. I told you about him the scientist guy."

"Right." Toga nodded. "You better behave yourself." He threatened.

"I will I will." Sesshoumaru sighed and stood up. "I'm daddy's good little boy."

Toga snorted. "Says you. I know you better than you think I do. I've got your number little boy." He mussed up his hair. "Come let's go before we're late."

Sesshoumaru glowered at his father as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm not a little boy." He muttered under his breath though saying it like that made him certainly sound like one.

xx

"How was lunch?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged. "It was fine and kinda nice to spend some time with my dad."

"That's good." Naraku nodded. "Are you ready to get back to work?"

"Do I get to go back over to the lab to make sure Jak is doing his job?" He grinned darkly.

"I see we've found something you enjoy doing." Naraku chuckled. "No; the rest of the afternoon will be spent making new patient files."

"Sounds boring."

"It is." Naraku agreed. "Now what you'll do is…" He trailed off when he heard a female's voice cry his name from the front of the office.

"Naraku! Naraku honey where are you?"

"Who's that?" Sesshoumaru questioned as he moved to look through the doorway of the filing room.

Naraku groaned miserably. "A patient." He nodded as he moved to lean against the wall like he was trying to hide from her.

Sesshoumaru stared at the doctor and crossed his arms over his chest while he smirked at the man. "Why are you hiding?"

"I'm not hiding." Naraku whispered.

"Naraku Caractacus you come out here right now!"

Sesshoumaru arched a brow at the doctor. "A patient huh. What kind of patient is she that she's walking around yelling like a banshee?"

"The kind that thinks I'm going to marry her."

"Why don't you want to marry her?"

Naraku shook his head. "Because she doesn't want to marry me she wants to marry my checkbook."

"Naraku darling!"

Naraku's eyes widened hugely as the woman's voice drew closer. "Damn we're trapped." He hissed to the boy.

Sesshoumaru smirked at the doctor. "Let's see how bad it really is." He nodded then made to step through the doorway.

"Oh no you don't." Naraku growled then grabbed the boy by the arm and jerked him back. He peeked through the doorway to make sure the woman wasn't looking in their direction then quickly and quietly closed the door.

"What kind of man are you?" Sesshoumaru questioned suspiciously. "Afraid of a girl."

Naraku snorted. "You don't know her she's persistent and doesn't understand the meaning behind the word no."

"It can't be…" Sesshoumaru trailed off when the door suddenly opened revealing the woman Naraku was hiding from.

"Yura" Naraku jumped wide eyed. "and how are you today?" He questioned as he moved to stand behind Sesshoumaru to use him as a shield.

"Oh Naraku darling I've been looking for you; didn't you hear me calling?"

"I did I was too busy to answer." He nodded politely. "What can I do for you today?"

Yura ran her fingers through her hair. "Well," she sighed. "my parents keep asking if you're ever going to come over for dinner. I know you're a doctor and you're very busy but I can't keep making excuses for you."

Naraku shook his head. "I never told you I would go to your parent's house for dinner nor did you ever ask."

"I know but I told them you would." She smiled sweetly at him.

Naraku just stared at her like she had suddenly sprouted a second head. "Pardon? Why would you tell them that without asking me first?"

"Because," she huffed indignantly. "eventually you're going to be my husband so it's only right for you to meet my family."

"Yura we're not dating. You are my patient and nothing else."

"Oh right the patient doctor thing." She nodded. "Well we'll talk about it tonight at dinner."

Sesshoumaru flinched when Naraku grabbed his shoulder and pinched his fingers into his flesh. This Yura woman had to be the biggest nitwit he had ever come across in his life and as entertaining as this was he just couldn't take her stupidity a second longer. "Yura right?" He narrowed his eyes upon her threateningly.

Yura looked at the him liked he just appeared out of nowhere. "Who are you?"

"None of your damn business that's who." Sesshoumaru snorted. "Now listen lady he doesn't like you he'll never like you. You're not dating or getting married or anything else. Just how stupid are you really?"

"Why you little…"

"Shut up lady." Sesshoumaru bit out coldly.

"Naraku who is this boy and how can you let him talk to me like this?" She stared at the doctor pleadingly.

Sesshoumaru elbowed Naraku in the stomach when he thought he opened his mouth. "Look lets get this straightened out right now. You're delusional and need help, AND he's not dating you;" he smirked darkly. "he's dating me."


	13. Chapter 13

At the end of this chapter is a sneak preview of another fic in the works that was intended for another paring in another fandom. Again since that fandom is sooo sucky lately I may convert that fic over to this pairing. The fic is titled 'The Assistant' I don't have a real plot laid out for it yet other than MC-A trying to hook up with MC-B and that's about the extent of it. Maybe I'll post it as its own fic or just drop a couple paragraphs here and there within this fic. We'll see.

Anywho now that that's outta the way here we go with the next chapter. Hope you enjoy. Much love for you all. Keva

xx

"Naraku who is this boy and how can you let him talk to me like this?" She stared at the doctor fully expecting him to defend her.

Sesshoumaru elbowed Naraku in the stomach when he thought he opened his mouth. "Look lets get this straightened out right now. You're delusional and need help, AND he's not dating you;" he smirked darkly. "he's dating me."

"What?" Yura gasped wide eyed.

Sesshoumaru crossed his arms over his chest. "You heard me perfectly fine. Unless you really are THAT stupid."

"Is that true?" She looked at Naraku.

"Well… I…" Naraku stumbled not really sure what to say in response to that as he was just as shocked as she was.

"Yes it's true." Sesshoumaru growled. "Why would I make up something so stupid?"

"But you're a male."

"Nuh huh." Sesshoumaru drawled sarcastically. "What does that have to do with anything? Absolutely nothing that's what." He nodded curtly.

Yura stared at the boy for a long moment then suddenly started laughing. "Haha that's a good one; you almost had me."

Sesshoumaru shook his head in exasperation. "You are a fool." He snorted. "Here let me show you." He nodded, turned around, grabbed the man by his face, pulled him down so they were face to face, and slammed their lips together.

Naraku's eyes widened hugely at the boy's actions then when he felt his tongue slip into his mouth he damn near jumped right out of his skin.

"Oh my God!" Yura gasped in wide eyed shock as she watched the two males kiss.

Sesshoumaru pulled back from the doctor slightly, locked stares with him, and waved hand through the air. "Go away girly can't you see we're busy." He ordered before he slipped his arms around Naraku's neck and picked up where he left off.

"Umm…." Yura nodded as she slowly backed out of the door. "I'll… um… call you later." With that she closed the door behind her.

Sesshoumaru pulled away from Naraku and stared at him with a deep smirk on his lips. "There that should get rid of her for good." He nodded.

Naraku just stared at the boy not really sure what to do or say to all of that.

"Naraku are you going to answer me?"

Naraku shook his head and stared at the woman. Was he dreaming again? What in all hells was wrong with him? "Answer what?"

Yura huffed irritably. "I said who is this kid?"

"None of your damn business!" Sesshoumaru hissed. "Now get the hell out of here. He doesn't want to see you, date you, talk to you, or meet your parents!"

"Sesshoumaru!" Naraku hissed.

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes and jerked away from the doctor. "Whatever; I'll be out front talking to Kohaku." With that he left the room leaving Naraku to his own devices.

Naraku shook his head and sighed deeply. "He's right Yura as rudely as he put it. You and I will never be together."

"Oh you're just having a bad day." She smiled as she stepped towards him.

"No;" he shook his head. "I mean it Yura it's never going to happen between us ever."

She stared at the doctor her smile falling from her lips. "Why?"

"Because I don't love you."

"If you…" She trailed off when he shook his head.

"Yura time will not make me love you; nothing will." He sighed deeply. "I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "You know I think I'm going to leave now. I'll call you when you're in a better mood and we can make plans for dinner or something." With that she quickly turned and left the room before he could respond.

Naraku sighed deeply and ran his fingers through his hair in annoyance. That woman couldn't take a hint either that or she understood but did not want to believe it. Yet at the moment she was only a minor issue the bigger problem was these fantasies he kept having about Sesshoumaru. What the hell was wrong with him?

He was no fool he knew without a doubt he intertwined Sesshoumaru into his life because of his fantasies of the boy and now they were getting more vivid which was not good. Perhaps he needed to sit down and seriously analyze this relationship between him and the boy and treat him like an investment a silent partner.

He just needed to get through this day, let Sesshoumaru go, and be done with it. Oh it sounded so good in his head but he knew it definitely wouldn't go that easy. Nothing in life ever did.

xx

The day seemed to be dragging on and on for Naraku and every time he saw Sesshoumaru his resolve to let the boy go faltered then again it had been nearly two weeks since he started and yet he was still there. However he had to stay strong and bring this to an end before it blew completely out of control and he did something he would regret. Though school was going to be starting soon then they would never have to see each other again… yea right.

He finished with his last patient for the day and made his way to his office to finish his paperwork before he called Sesshoumaru in to let him know he would no longer be working here. He was sure the boy wasn't going to take the news well but he would just have to understand that this was for the best… for both of them.

It was nearly quitting time when he heard a small knock on his door and in peeked Kohaku before he could answer.

"Naraku?" He whispered.

"What is it?" He drew his brows slightly at how he was whispering.

Kohaku stepped in and quickly closed the door before he walked over to the doctor's desk; his face twisted in worry. "I need to tell you something and I don't want Sesshoumaru to hear."

"What?" Naraku questioned with an edge to his voice at the face he was making.

"It's his father;" he nodded. "he's over in the ER. There's been an accident."

Naraku drew his brows deeply. "How do you know this?"

"Kei called and told me to let you know." He nodded.

Naraku jumped to his feet and began gathering his things. "Did he give you his status?"

Kohaku nodded sadly. "It's not good."

"Fucking hell!" Naraku cursed as he made for the door.

"What about Sesshoumaru?" He questioned as he followed the doctor to the door.

"Keep him here; tell Kageromaru about what happened and make sure Sesshoumaru does not hear about this." He spun on his assistant. "Do you understand?"

Kohaku nodded. "I will."

"Good I will be back as soon as I find out what happened." Naraku nodded back and quickly left his office making for the back door to keep the boy from seeing him leave.

He hurried as fast as he could across the street to the hospital hoping beyond hope that Kohaku misheard and Toga wasn't as bad off as Kei said.

Once inside the building he ran to the ER and found Kei quickly walking down the hall. "Where is he?"

Kei shook his head as he continued on his way. "He's in the OR I'm on my way there now."

Naraku kept pace with the man. "What happened?"

Kei stopped at the elevator and hit the button. "It was a fall," he shook his head. "from four stories up. I'm surprised he survived it."

"What are his injuries?" Naraku questioned as he stepped onto the elevator with him.

"A collapsed lung, cerebral hemorrhage, the entire right side of his facial structure shattered, left knee and hip fractured, and a dislocated right shoulder. Apparently he landed face down on a small pile of dirt I expect that that's why he survived but still it doesn't look good." He placed his hand on Naraku's shoulder when the doors to the elevator opened. "You better go tell his kid. I'll do everything I can for him." With that he took off down the hall towards the operating room.

Naraku just stood there wide eyed in shock as the doors closed in front of him. How was he going to tell the boy that his father the only being left in his life was on the brink of death? Granted he had had this same talk more times than he would like to count but this… this was different. He was emotionally attached which made it all the worse.

He backed against the far wall of the elevator and slid down it until he was sitting down. What was he going to do? What was he going to say? How was Sesshoumaru going to take it? Oh he knew the answer to that and it wasn't good. Perhaps he should have a sedative ready for him when he tells him what happened. He was certain that Sesshoumaru was not going to take this well.

He banged his head back against the elevator wall and sighed deeply. "Let him live." He pleaded to the small metal cube he was sitting in. "Please oh please who ever is up there," he looked up at the roof of the elevator car. "don't take him away from his son."

He slowly rose to his feet when the car started moving up and when it opened on the main floor he slowly stepped out. He easily spotted two police officers talking with the nurse behind the desk and made his way over to the two men to see if they were there about Toga and it wasn't long before he knew they were.

"We know he has a son and we are unable to locate him." The officer said as he stared at the nurse. "His co-workers said he was already here at the hospital."

"Dr. Caractacus there would know about Mr. Taishou's son."

The nurse nodded when he came to stand behind the two men officers Nelson and Martin who he had seen in the emergency room investigating shootings, stabbings, DUI crashes, and anything else that required police action.

The two men turned to face the doctor. "Naraku." Officer Martin nodded.

Naraku nodded back. "What can I do for you?" As if he didn't already know.

"A Mr. Taishou was brought in recently and we need to reach his son. You wouldn't happen to know how we can reach him or his whereabouts would you?"

"I do." Naraku nodded. "He's working in my office right now."

"Thank you we'll go…" Officer Martin started only to be cut off the by the doctor.

"No;" Naraku interrupted the detective. "I'll tell him about his father."

"We will need to question him." Officer Nelson said in a very authortive manner.

Naraku pressed his lips together tightly before he answered. "Does it have to be today?"

"No;" Office Martin shook his head. "but the sooner we do the better."

"What exactly happened?" Naraku questioned wanting the full story or as much of it as he could get before he talked to Sesshoumaru.

"We're not entirely sure. All we know is Mr. Taishou was working on the fourth floor of the new office building going up on Tenth Street and the next thing anyone knows is he's on the ground. However we believe he didn't fall accidentally." Martin nodded curtly.

"He was pushed?" Naraku questioned aghast.

"We believe so; that's why we would like to question his son and see if he has any ideas who would wish to do Mr. Taishou harm. " Martin nodded.

Naraku sighed deeply. "I'll bring him to you to question after I talk to him. He's not going to take this well and having you two pressing him with questions is only going to make it worse."

"That'll be fine." Martin nodded. "Just get him to us as soon as you can or call us with any information you can get out of him."

"I will." Naraku nodded back. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to go tell the boy about his father." With that he turned and headed back to his office trying to come up with what he was going to say to Sesshoumaru about his dad.

xx

Naraku walked into his office and looked at Kohaku. "Where is he?"

"In your office." Kohaku nodded sadly. "Is he okay?"

Naraku shook his head. "I don't know Kei is working on him right now. Where's Kageromaru I may need his help."

"In his office finishing up his reports for the day."

"Thanks." Naraku nodded and made his way to Kageromaru's office. He stepped in the office and closed the door causing the doctor to look up at him.

"Naraku? What's going on?"

Naraku stared at his colleague for a long moment before he sighed deeply. "Sesshoumaru's father had an accident and Kei doesn't know if he'll make it or not. I have to tell him and I may need your help once I do."

Kageromaru drew his brows deeply. "What happened?"

"They think he was pushed off the fourth floor of a building he was working on." He shook his head. "I don't know how he survived it." He jabbed his fingers though his hair. "He's not going to take it well and if he doesn't make it…" He trailed off and stared at him. "Kageromaru that kid has no one in this world but his father."

"So what are you going to do if he doesn't survive it?"

"I don't know." Naraku shook his head sadly. "I truly do not know. All I can do right now is hope he survives."

Kageromaru nodded in understanding. "What do you want me to do?"

Naraku sighed deeply. "I may need to sedate him after I tell him and I'll need you to help me. You've seen how he can be."

Kageromaru snorted. "That kid is a menace. Alright I'll wait outside your door call me and I'll help you." He stood up.

"Thanks." He nodded then turned for the door.

"No problem that's what friends are for." He gave him a small smile.

Naraku smiled back. "Get the sedative ready and I'll go talk to him." He watched as Kageromaru nodded then turned and went to the nurse's cabinet to get what he needed. Another sigh expanded his chest before he walked the short distance to his own office heaving another sigh before he opened the door and entered then closing the door behind him.

* * *

><p>Naraku walked the aisle of the cubicles with his soon to be ex-assistant following close behind him. "No." He grumbled; he really didn't have time for this but he also needed to find a replacement for Kagome since she just HAD to go to college and just HAD to go to a school clear on the other side of the country.<p>

He was sure she decided to go to San Diego State just to get away from him but he couldn't be sure. He didn't work her that hard what were a few long days here or there? Or the phone calls at three in the morning when something big came up and he needed her? Or no vacation? Or working two three four weeks straight when it was time for contract negotiations? She acted like he forced her to work day and night without a single day off. Such the little victim.

Again he shook his head and when he turned to the left he spotted the crown of a silver haired cover head. "Hmmm..." He hummed and walked to the next aisle where the owner of the silver hair was sitting. When he came to the cubicle he spotted the man's name on the little plaque which just simply said _'Sesshoumaru'_. Did the man not have a last name or did he just not want it shown for everyone to see?

Now his curiosity was really piqued if he wasn't so much so by his silver hair already. As he stared into his cubicle he noted that the man wasn't a man at all but a boy of no more than sixteen which he knew was impossible since you had to be eighteen to work here. _'Interesting.'_ He thought to himself then glanced around his cubical. He didn't personalize his cubicle like everyone else in the office did; nope just plain empty walls, nothing on the desk but his computer, phone, papers, and a pen.

He watched as Sesshoumaru typed away on his computer doing whatever it was these people in the cubicles did. Okay yea he owned the company and really should know what everyone does for him but with this many employees who had time to keep track of everything everyone did? Certainly not him! As long as business was running smoothly and making money then he was happy and that was all that mattered.

"Can I help you with something?"

He quickly cleared his head of his wandering thoughts really surprised he was having them at all when he heard the boy's voice. He watched as this Sesshoumaru continued to work without so much as giving a glance in his direction. "Yes he will do." Naraku smirked as he turned to Kagome. "I want him." With that he walked off leaving his assistant staring off after him.


	14. Chapter 14

Sesshoumaru looked up at the doctor when he entered and drew his brows. "What's going on?" He questioned suspiciously as the look on the doctor's face wasn't good.

Naraku moved to stand next to him then kneeled down and stared into his deep ambers. "Sesshoumaru I need to tell you something."

"What?" Sesshoumaru stared hard at the doctor; he could feel the tension rolling off the man in waves.

Naraku sighed again as this was getting more difficult by the second. "It's your dad."

His eyes snapped wide as he stared at the doctor. When someone said they need to talk and looked like the world was about to end AND started it with _'it's your fill in name or relation here'_ it was never anything good. "What happened?"

"Your dad has had an accident." As soon as the words left his mouth Sesshoumaru was on his feet. He grabbed the boy before he could go anywhere. "Let me finish."

"NO! LET ME GO!" He stared at the doctor eyes glassy and wide.

"Listen he's in surgery right now you can see him when they're done."

Sesshoumaru stared up at the doctor. "What happened?"

Naraku sighed deeply and tapped into his doctor's training to deal with situations like this. "Your dad fell off the building he was working on. His injuries are serious and we are doing everything we can to heal him."

"How serious?" When the doctor curled his bottom lip in slightly he knew it was bad. "NO!" He began to struggle to break free. "DAD! LET ME GO I HAVE TO GO SEE HIM!"

Naraku held tight. "You can't right now. I will take you to him when they are done."

"NO! DAD!" He cried as his eyes began to fill with thick tears. "LET ME GO LET ME GO!" He struggled as hard as he could to get away. "DAD! I WANT MY DAD!' He cried as he continued to struggle to get free. He could hear Naraku talking to him but his words made no sense. All that mattered at the moment was that his dad was hurt and this man wouldn't let him go to him. "PLEASE LET ME GO!" He pleaded as his tears began to stream down his cheeks.

"Sesshoumaru listen." Naraku pleaded.

"NO!" He jerked as hard as he could to get free. "I DON'T WANT TO LISTEN I JUST WANT MY DAD!"

Naraku sighed deeply. "Kageromaru." He called as he looked over at the door and tightened his hold on the boy.

Kageromaru walked into the room syringe in hand and ready to give the boy the injection.

Sesshoumaru looked over at the big man coming for him and could see the needle in his hand. "NO!" He yelled as he struggled even harder to break free. "NO!" He looked at Naraku. "PLEASE DON'T!" He sobbed. "I just want my dad!" He pressed his face into his chest. "Please…."

Naraku looked over at Kageromaru and shook his head. "I'll call if I need you."

Kageromaru nodded then turned and left the room.

"I want my dad." He kept choking out between his sobs.

Naraku wrapped his arms around the boy and pressed him tightly against his chest. "I know. As soon as Kei calls I will take you to him." He closed his eyes and prayed with everything he had in him that the boy's father would survive this.

xx

Naraku snapped his eyes open and picked his cell phone up off the couch when it began to vibrate against his thigh. He came instantly awake at seeing Kei's name on the caller id. "What is his status?" He questioned without a word of hello.

Kei sighed heavily and tiredly. "We just placed him in ICU and he has yet to awaken. How's his kid?"

"Sleeping but not very well." He sighed deeply with a glance at the boy curled up on the couch with his head on his thigh. He gently stroked his fingers through his hair causing the boy to snuggle closer to him. "If his father doesn't survive this he has no one else."

"But you." Kei quickly responded.

"True," Naraku agreed as he stared at the boy. "however I would prefer for his father to maintain his role as caretaker for him."

"Only time will tell for certain." He sighed. "Though with his brain injury he might not be able to care for himself let alone his son if he makes it through all of this. Naraku he may very well either be a vegetable or no smarter than a five year old for the rest of his life. I mean we won't know for sure until he wakes up if he wakes up at all."

He now understood how the families of his patients felt when he would deliver news like this; it was horrible. "Just wonderful." He growled sarcastically.

"Yea well I let the nurses know that you might show up with his kid tonight but if possible I'd wait awhile to give him a chance to rest and see if he wakes up. If anything else comes about I will let you know."

"I'll try to keep him here as long as possible and thanks." He nodded as he continued to lightly stroke his finger's through the boy's hair.

"No problem man. I'll talk to ya later I'm beat and need to get some sleep; these thirty-six hour shifts are rough. I think I'm getting to old to keep this up much longer."

Naraku snorted. "You would miss it if you quit. Get some rest and I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"See ya man."

Naraku hung up the phone and tilted his head back against the wall. What he would give to be at home right now in his bed instead of here in his office trying to sleep on his couch. Granted this wasn't the first time he spent the night here but it was the first time he spent the night here with someone else. He suddenly snapped his head up when the boy shot up off the couch.

"DAD!"

"Sesshoumaru." Naraku stood up and grabbed the boy by the shoulder.

Sesshoumaru turned to face the doctor and stared up at him with wide glassy eyes. "My dad."

Naraku nodded. "He's in intensive care sleeping we can go see him in the morning."

"Is he going to be okay?" He stared at the doctor hopefully.

"It's too early to tell." He shook his head and sighed deeply. "Sesshoumaru I need to ask you something and it's very important." He waved his hand towards the couch. "Sit."

Sesshoumaru did as he was told and stared at the doctor with his heavy puffy amber eyes. "What?"

Naraku clenched his fists trying to keep himself clam and in check. "Sesshoumaru do you know of anyone that would want to hurt your father?"

Gold eyes widened hugely. "What?" He jumped to his feet. "Are you saying that what happened to my dad was no accident?"

"We're not sure." He nodded. "The authorities just want to cover all bases." He lied though only somewhat.

"LIAR!" Sesshoumaru pointed a finger in his face. "They think my dad was pushed don't they?"

"Was he?" Naraku questioned as he stared at the boy eyes slowly narrowing to deadly little slits. "Why would someone want to hurt your dad?"

"Because I told my dad what he did to me." He collapsed down onto the couch as tears began to once again fall down his cheeks. "He told me he would hurt my dad if I ever said anything and now my dad is in the hospital."

"Who Sesshoumaru; who did this?" He kneeled down in front of the boy.

Sesshoumaru's eyes suddenly became cold and hard as he locked stares with the doctor. "The man I'm going to make suffer like no other has ever suffered before. He will pay for what he did even if it takes the rest of my life I will make sure he suffers dearly!"

"No you will not do that just tell me who you think did this so we can put him in jail."

Sesshoumaru pressed his lips together and glowered at the man. "I'm not going to tell you or anyone else." He hissed darkly. "I will take care of this myself."

Naraku sighed deeply in annoyance through his nose and decided to just drop it for now. The boy was angry, hurt, and not thinking with a clear head. "Very well have it your way." He nodded.

"Good." Sesshoumaru growled as he thought about the many ways he was going to make Koga pay for what he did. "I want to go see my dad."

Naraku nodded at the boy. "Okay." With that he led the boy out of the office and across the parking lot to the hospital.

xx

"Dad!" Sesshoumaru cried and ran to the bed containing his father. "Wake up I'm here."

Naraku stood in the doorway watching and feeling really sick to his stomach. After having a quick look at Toga's chart the odds of the man ever returning to normal were slim to none and the odds of him waking up were just as slim. It was just as Kei had said.

Sesshoumaru laid his head on his father's chest and listened to the calm beating of his heart. "I know who did this to you." He whispered with a small nod. "I'll make him pay for it; I promise." A single tear fell from his eye and landed on the sheet covering his father.

_'Him?'_ Who the hell was this him? He stared at the boy wanting to know what the hell happened that would cause this _him_ who ever he was to try and kill the boy's father if that was indeed what happened to Toga.

As he continued to stare at the boy and his father it suddenly came back to him. Sesshoumaru was molested by someone and it could very well have been that person or in the words of Toga persons that pushed him off the building. Yet until Sesshoumaru told him who possibly could have done this to his father there was nothing he could do.

"Why won't he wake up?"

Naraku shook his head at the boy. "He just came out of surgery not too long ago and it's probably best for him to stay asleep right now anyway."

Sesshoumaru stared at his father. "But I want to hear him say he's okay." He whispered brokenly.

"In time he will wake up." _I hope._ He thought to himself. "But you have to understand he's been through a lot in the last twenty-four hours and he needs time to heal."

"Yea" He nodded sadly. "can I stay here with him?"

Naraku shook his head. "No."

"But where else can I go?" He stared at the doctor with wide glassy eyes. "I don't have anyone else but my dad and if he's here…" his eyes suddenly snapped wide. "what will happen to me if… if…." He couldn't say it WOULDN'T say it hell he was completely shocked that he even thought it.

Naraku worked his jaw furiously as he stared at the boy. "Do not think such things." He growled trying to avoid the issue altogether. "We will take things as they come and go from there."

"Okay." Sesshoumaru nodded and laid his head back down on his father's chest to continue to listen to his beating heart and make sure he was still alive.

Naraku plucked his pager from his hip when it started beeping and shook his head. "I'll be right back." He nodded at the boy who gave him a small nod in return before he turned and made for the nurses station to use the phone.

Sesshoumaru slowly cracked his eyes open when he felt a nudge on his shoulder.

"Sesshoumaru wake up." Naraku again gave the boy a nudge to his shoulder.

"Hmm?" He yawned and slowly lifted his head.

"Come it's time for us to leave."

Sesshoumaru stared up at the doctor. "Do we have to?"

"Yes" Naraku nodded. "you've been here longer than most are allowed to stay. We can come back tomorrow."

He sighed sadly and looked down at his father. "Alright I'll be back. Love you dad." He gave a squeeze to his father's hand before he stood up and looked at Naraku. "Where am I supposed to go?"

"You're coming home with me for now. We'll stop by your house so you can pick up some clothes and anything else you'll need then like I said we'll take it day by day from there."

"Will they call if my dad wakes up?"

"Yes." He nodded tiredly. "Kei will keep me posted and if anything happens or changes we'll be the first to know and we'll come right back."

"Really?"

Naraku nodded. "Really."


	15. Chapter 15

"Okay." Sesshoumaru nodded and looked back at his dad. "I'll be back real soon I promise. Bye dad." He placed a kiss on his father's forehead then turned and followed Naraku out of the hospital to his car. "It's morning already? It didn't feel like we were in there that long."

Naraku yawned and unlocked his car. "You forget we spent most of the night in my office."

"Oh yea." Sesshoumaru nodded and got into the car a little reluctantly. Really he didn't want to leave he wanted to stay by his dad's side but he also knew they would make him leave no matter what he wanted. At least he had the in with Naraku and wasn't bound to the same rules as most so at least he had that going for him. He looked over at the doctor and frowned. "What do you think?"

"About what?" Naraku questioned back and pulled out of the parking lot.

"My dad. Do you think he will be okay?" He stared hard at the doctor watching for any sign that he might try to lie to him in order to sugar coat the truth.

"I honestly can't say; it's too early to tell." He sighed deeply.

"Would you say if you knew?" He narrowed his ambers upon the man.

Naraku blinked very slowly before he glanced over at the boy. "No." He answered honestly.

"Why?" He questioned with a gasp like Naraku had just punched him in the chest.

"Because in cases like this it's better to not know just in case things change. It would do no good to upset you when things may or may not be as good or bad as I say they are." He nodded with another glance at the boy. "A lot of what happens to your dad is dependant on him. It's all a matter of the power of the mind."

"But his head was damaged." Sesshoumaru whispered.

"True" Naraku agreed. "but that doesn't mean he is completely brain dead."

"Is he?"

Naraku sighed deeply again. "For the most part his brain activity is normal for one in his current position."

"But that can change at any moment for any reason." He glowered at the doctor. "Can't it?"

"It's been known to happen." Naraku agreed and pulled the car in front of Sesshoumaru's house only to be confronted with the local police and family service officers. "Damn it." He growled.

"What's going on?" Sesshoumaru questioned as he stared at the people standing in his driveway watching them.

"Just stay in the car." Naraku ordered as he got out and walked to up to the group of people. "Can I help you?"

"Ah Dr. Caractacus." Officer Martin nodded at the him. "What are you doing here?"

Naraku eyed the cop. "I was bringing the boy home to get some clothes to stay with me until his father is well. What are you doing here?"

"We have discovered that Mr. Taisho was pushed off the building he was working on and we're here looking for evidence to figure out who could have cause to do the man in." He nodded. "They're here for Mr. Taisho's son."

"I don't think so." Naraku growled as he was too tired to deal with this and just wanted to get home. He had been awake for well over fifty-some hours, he was running on empty, and very low on patience at the moment. "I have guardianship over the boy and with me is where he is going to stay."

"Do you have proof of this?" The child officer questioned with a hard stare at the doctor.

Naraku met the stare head on and narrowed his eyes to deadly little slits. "Of course I do." He bit out. "They're in my office; call my assistant Kohaku and he will give them to you. Now if you don't mind the boy needs to pick up some clothes and things so we can go home."

"We can't do that." The pinched faced woman glared at him. "The boy will remain with us until we have proof that you have guardianship of him."

Dark eyes narrowed even further. "Then we will be staying here until you get them then won't we." He hissed then looked over at the police officers. "The boy was molested by someone or someones that worked with his father. He refuses to say who did it. Figure it out and you will have your man." With that he turned and went back to his car.

"What's going on?" Sesshoumaru questioned the agitated doctor when he plopped into the driver's seat.

"Nothing." He hissed. "The police want to talk to you and that damn old woman wants to take you away."

"WHAT? Take me away; where to?" He stared at the doctor.

"Child services but don't worry once they get the papers that your father signed giving me guardianship you won't have to worry about her. However you can't ignore the police and you will have to answer their questions." He grabbed his cell from his hip and called Kohaku.

Sesshoumaru stared through the window at the woman staring at him and narrowed his eyes at her. "I'm not going with that woman!" He hissed as he turned to stare at Naraku.

Naraku waved his hand dismissively and glowered at the officer walking up to the car. "You will talk to him and tell him everything he wants to know." He growled just wanting to get this done and over with. "And stay away from that woman!"

"But…"

"But nothing." Naraku hissed cutting him off. "I do not want to hear it. Just go tell him what you know then put your little ass back in this car." With that he went back to Kohaku on the phone. "I am well aware what time it is," he growled. "I have something I need you to do and as soon as possible then you can take the day off if it would suit your fancy."

Sesshoumaru looked from the irritated doctor to the police officer and with a deep sigh got out of the car.

xx

"I told you for the last time!" Sesshoumaru glared deadly at the police officers. "If I was molested by someone I think I would know about it! It is my body after all!"

"We know that isn't true." Nelson glared at the boy. "We have had several reports of people claiming that you have been molested by people close to your father."

"Oh?" He questioned and crossed his arms over his chest indignantly. "Alright let me see these reports then."

"Well," Officer Martin sighed deeply. "they weren't ever made officially."

Sesshoumaru stared hard at the two men. "Then there is no report so as far as I'm concerned you're just making this up." He nodded.

"Your doctor over there." Nelson pointed at the doctor in the car. "He made the claim."

"How would he know what has or hasn't happened to me?" Sesshoumaru quickly countered. "He's only recently been a significant part of my life so he doesn't know anything beyond what I or my father has told him." He shrugged dismissively at the two men. "And how would I know what my father has said to him? For all we know my dad made some shit up to make him feel sorry for me so he would be my doctor." He nearly flinched expecting his father to correct his language then wanted to cry when the thump up side the head never came.

"He has us there." Martin again sighed.

"Well then we'll bring the doctor into this." Nelson nodded curtly.

"Along with my lawyer." Sesshoumaru glared at them. "I may be a child but I'm not stupid and I know that questioning a juvenile like this could be breaking some child laws or something." He nodded.

"Don't you want us to find out who did this to your father?" Martin questioned wide eyed. "And have that person or persons put in jail?"

"Of course I do!" Sesshoumaru huffed. "But going based on what some doctor who barely knows me says isn't going to find him or them or whoever. Why don't you grill my dad's co-workers and see what they have to say. Match their stories or whatever it is you guys do to find the bad guy." He scowled at them. "We're done I called for my attorney so these questions are over!" He nodded curtly then turned and headed back to the car.

"Not so fast young man."

Sesshoumaru sighed deeply through his nose and wanted so bad to turn and punch the woman square in the face. "What?" He turned and glared at her.

"You are very disrespectful; is this your father's influence?"

"Don't you talk about…"

"That's enough." Naraku growled as he grabbed Sesshoumaru by the shoulder. "My assistant is on his way with the file proving that I am his guardian." He glared at the woman then turned and pushed Sesshoumaru towards the car.

"I still need to get my stuff." He huffed as he spun on the doctor.

Naraku pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation. "Make it quick and stay the hell away from her!"

"She followed me and talked to me first!" Sesshoumaru defended.

"I don't care." He countered. "Just get your shit and get your little ass back in the car." He narrowed his eyes to deadly little slits when the boy opened his mouth. "Don't test me boy. I'm running on empty at the moment and thrashing you might be just what I need."

"I hate you so much!" Sesshoumaru hissed and stormed past the doctor towards the house to get his stuff together.

"I bet." He muttered to himself as he watched the boy go.

xx

"That should satisfy you; should it not?" Naraku glared at the woman going over the file Kohaku had brought.

"You have obtained this recently." She pointed out suspiciously as stared up at him. "Under what circumstances would you have need for this as merely the boy's doctor and right before Mr. Taisho is supposedly pushed off a building?"

Naraku narrowed his eyes deeply and could feel the two officers closing in behind him. "Because," he hissed coldly. "I'm the boy's sponsor for the Future Hope scholarship."

"What does that have to do with you having guardianship over Sesshoumaru?" Nelson questioned causing the doctor to turn and face him.

"It does seem rather suspicious." Martin nodded as he looked over the papers the child officer handed to him. "You get guardianship just weeks before his father is pushed off a building."

"Are you accusing me of something?" He demanded as he narrowed his eyes deeply.

"You have to admit that all this seems rather convenient for you." Martin nodded.

"I have nothing to gain from taking the boy as my responsibility." Naraku hissed. "I only did so so he would be guaranteed a scholarship to school." He narrowed his eyes even further. "If you want you can call Xemnas Wellington and confirm it. Now anymore questions can be directed to my attorney." He nodded curtly, took the papers from the cop's hand, and stormed to his car.

"They're not going to take me away; are they?" Sesshoumaru questioned worriedly when Naraku got into the car.

"I don't see how they can without turning this into a long drawn out court battle." Naraku sighed and started the car. "Do you have everything you need? I don't want to have to come back here later."

Sesshoumaru nodded his head at him. "Yea." He sighed sadly. "I can't believe my dad isn't here."

"Well hopefully he'll be home soon and everything will be back to normal before you know it." He cast a reassuring glance over at the boy then pulled the car from the curb heading for home. He was damn tired and wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and sleep for a week.

"But what happens if he's not?" He stared over at the doctor. "What will happen to me?"

"You'll just stay with me." He answered without thinking. _'That damn exhaustion will get a man every time.'_ He thought cynically to himself.

"Really?"

Naraku snorted. "Well unless you'd prefer a foster home then that's fine by me."

"NO!" His amber eyes widened in a panic. "I'll kill myself first!"

Naraku sighed again. "Look we don't know what's going to happen so lets just play it day by day until a decision has to be made."

Sesshoumaru slumped into his seat and nodded. "Yea my dad will be okay then everything will be back to normal." He reassured himself.

_'I certainly hope so.'_ He thought though he knew better. If Toga' chart was correct and he knew it was the odds the man was going to wake up were very slim.

xx

"What in blazes are you doing?"

Sesshoumaru frowned deeply as he stared at the doctor in the bed. "I can't sleep."

"So we both should be awake?" Naraku growled as he sat upright in his bed.

"I can't stop thinking about my dad." He frowned deeply.

Naraku sighed trying not to sound annoyed but it was a failed attempt. He was just too damn tired and wanted nothing more than to go to sleep. "Look," he started as he stared that boy standing next to his bed. "you're going to think about him no matter what I say or do. So what do you want me to say?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "I don't know." He scowled. "Maybe just lie to me or something."

"I'm not going to lie to you either." He sighed deeply. "Nothing I say will be enough and I can't give any guarantees that will ease your worries. The best I can do for you is tell you what I know as a doctor and that's it."

"That's it." He repeated flatly.

Dark eyes narrowed as he stared at the boy. "What more do you want from me?"

Sesshoumaru stared straight at the doctor trying to see right through him. "Comfort."

He sighed again and began rubbing his temples swearing he could feel a headache coming on. "You drive me to madness." He growled and plopped back onto his back. "Get in." He ordered tiredly and patted the other side of the bed. "And go to sleep." He glowered at the boy still standing next to his bed.

Sesshoumaru stared at him for a moment longer then with a sigh crawled over the doctor to the other side of the bed.

Naraku gnashed his teeth together when Sesshoumaru pressed a knee into his gut climbing over him. Then once he was settled on his side of the bed he glared deadly at him. "You could have walked around." He huffed nearly in a fit then turned his back to the boy and closed his eyes.

"I'm not feeling very comforted." He huffed as he looked over at the doctor from his side of the bed.

"What else do you want from me?" He growled.

"COMFORT!" He bit back.

Naraku flipped over, wrapped an arm around the boy, and with a huff pulled him tightly against his chest. "Now shut up and go to sleep!"

Sesshoumaru scowled against his chest. "But…"

"Silence or you'll be finding yourself sleeping elsewhere and with only your own thoughts for comfort."

Sesshoumaru sighed deeply in annoyance but settled for what he could get from the doctor. Actually being curled against Naraku like this did make him feel somewhat better; yet it still didn't ease much of his worry at all. What was he going to do if he lost his dad?

Sure Naraku said he could stay here with him but still that wasn't home with his dad. The man that had raised him, loved him, took care of him, and gave up his life for him and his sickness. They were all either one of them had in this world and with one gone the one left behind was alone.

Then again would he really be alone if his dad did by some chance die? Naraku said he would live with him and the man had done a lot for him already. So only having Naraku in his life wouldn't be so bad. He did like the man and though there were days when he wanted to kill him he was still the closest thing to a friend he had.

But still Naraku wasn't his dad and all he really wanted was to be at home with his dad; like always… like he should be.


	16. Chapter 16

Long in coming but meh you know I'll eventually get to it so yay! Hope you enjoy; much love for you all. Keva

xx

Naraku slowly blinked his eyes open when the evening sun peeked through his blinds and hit him in the face. As he slowly came fully awake his attention was quickly pulled to the being curled up against his chest. Looking down all he could see was long strands of silver hair poking out from under the covers.

He closed his eyes and mentally groaned to himself. This was not good for either of them. However there was an easy fix to this situation just let go and roll over. In theory that was an easy fix, to actually do that was a little problematic.

The first problem being Sesshoumaru was lying on his arm. Second problem, Sesshoumaru had tangled their legs together. Third problem, he liked having the boy curled against him.

Part of him was very tempted to roll them over and have his way with the boy. The other part of him knew that that was NOT a good thing to do and he was very inclined to agree. So with a deep sigh knowing he was going to wake the boy up he pulled himself free and got out of bed causing Sesshoumaru to indeed come awake.

"What's going on?" Sesshoumaru questioned with brows drawn as he looked at the doctor confusedly.

"Go back to sleep." Naraku ordered as he headed for the door.

Sesshoumaru stared at him and drew his brows deeply. "Aren't we going to leave and go see my dad?'

"No, it's too late," he growled. "however I will call to check in and get his status."

"I want to see him not hear how he's doing." He hissed.

Naraku turned to face him and glared deadly at him. "Well as the one with the license and the car I believe you are on my schedule whether you like it or not."

"I don't like it!" He glared deadly at him. "I want to see my dad!"

Naraku pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed deeply. "If I take you to see him I'm risking my job. I've already let you break the rules several times too many." He nodded curtly at him.

"I don't care." He narrowed his eyes even further. "This is about me and my dad and I should be there with him since I'm the only family he has."

"If that's the case we can call child services and then we'll see how many visits they'll let you have." He headed for the door. "When you get hungry I'll see you in the kitchen."

Sesshoumaru scowled at the door very tempted to throw a fit but decided against it. He may be young but he wasn't a damn baby.

xx

"Eat."

"I'm not hungry." Sesshoumaru scowled at his plate as he pushed his food around with his fork. "I want to go see my dad."

"Well you can't right now." He sighed deeply. "First thing in the morning I'll take you. Promise."

Sesshoumaru slumped in his chair and frowned. "Why is this happening to me? First my mom tries to kill me. Then that bastard is a bastard and now my dad might die." He stared at the doctor. "If he dies I'll have nothing, I'll be alone. What will I do?"

"We've been through this before." Naraku nodded curtly at him.

"Yea you said we'd take it day by day but what the hell does that mean?" He narrowed his ambers deeply.

"It means we'll make decisions based on events as they come." He pointed his fork at him.

"So I'm supposed to just sit here waiting and wondering what's going to happen? No security for my life if anything happens?"

"What do you want from me?" Naraku questioned exasperated.

Sesshoumaru glowered at him. "Nothing, I don't want a damn thing from you." He sighed, looked back down at his plate, and sighed sadly. "I just want things to go back the way they were. I want my dad to be okay and for us to be back at home like normal."

"If there was anything I could do to take back all that's happened to you and your dad I would do it." He tried to comfort.

"I know." He frowned. "I just don't want to be alone, my dad is all I have."

"Again if you're dad is gone you'll stay with me."

Sesshoumaru looked across the table at him. "But you don't want me and the responsibility."

Naraku snorted at that. "You're already my responsibility." He nodded curtly at him. "You work for me, I'm paying for your school," he eyed him seriously. "I have guardianship over you. Therefore what I say goes and you will obey me."

"You're not my dad!" He hissed.

"A good thing too." He smirked. "My kid wouldn't be such a smart ass."

"I'm not a smart ass." Sesshoumaru hissed as he narrowed his eyes upon him once again.

"That remains to be seen." Naraku countered. "You've been nothing but since the day we met."

He scowled at him. "Have not. Stop treating me like I'm a baby."

"Act like one…" He trailed off and smirked at him.

"I hate you."

Naraku picked up his plate and stood up. "Yes, I know. You've told me several times." He walked over to the sink and began washing up. "But I know you really love me."

"I don't love you." He stared at his back and wrinkled his nose.

"Oh?" He looked over his shoulder at him with an arched brow. "I know all about your hate called love."

"You know nothing about me." He slammed his fork down onto his plate and glowered at him.

"I know plenty about you." He turned to face him, leaned against the counter, and crossed his arms over his chest. "You're just a hormonal teenager that tells me everything about you."

"I am not!" Sesshoumaru jumped to his feet. "I'm not a girl!"

"Not on the outside anyway." He grinned evilly at him.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes to thin little slits. "I hate you so much." He hissed.

"Love you too." He teased then went back to cleaning the dishes.

Sesshoumaru opened his mouth to respond to that only to have a ringing phone interrupt him. He watched Naraku answer the phone holding his breath hoping it was a call saying his father was awake.

Naraku answered the phone and kept his eyes locked on the wall in front of him as he answered.

xx

Sesshoumaru grabbed his father's hand and held it tight. "Dad please!" He cried as his ambers filled with tears. "Don't leave me!"

Naraku watched the scene from the door of the room and sighed sadly. The boy was now his responsibility whether he wanted him to be or not.

"Sorry man." Kei placed his hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"It's not me that's hurting." He nodded to the boy who had his head pressed against his father's chest pleading and sobbing for him not to leave him. He looked over at his friend. "Are you sure nothing can be done?"

Kei shook his head. "You know as well as I do that once the brain dies the body isn't long in following." He looked at the scene before him. "You saw his brain activity yesterday."

Naraku snorted at that. "Yes but I was hoping he would come around at least for his son's sake. As a doctor I knew the truth but I still held out hope for him."

"You didn't tell the boy?" He stared wide eyed at him.

"I couldn't." He stared at the boy in question. "He has so much to deal with already how could I tell him?"

"As a doctor." He pointed out.

"But for him I'm not." He looked at him. "I quit being his doctor when his father signed the paper giving me guardianship over him."

"You're a good man." He gave another gentle squeeze to his shoulder. "I'll give you a few to let him say goodbye."

"Thanks." He nodded then stepped into the room and closed the door behind him.

"Please wake up." Sesshoumaru sobbed into his father's chest. "I need you here with me. What am I going to do without you?"

Naraku felt sick to his stomach watching the scene before him. So many times in his career he had watched and heard this same thing over and over again yet… Yet this time it was different this time it was personal. He was entwined into the boy's life so much so that he felt the pain of loss as well.

He moved to stand next to Sesshoumaru and placed his hand on his back.

"Naraku please," he looked up at the doctor. "please save him."

He frowned sadly at that. "I wish I could."

"But you're a doctor that's you job!" He bit out angrily as thick tears streamed down his cheeks. "You save people from dying that's what doctors do!"

"Sometimes we can't." He whispered. "As advanced as we are in medical science there are some things even we are incapable of curing."

"No." He shook his head angrily at him. "Save him you have to save him!" He turned and grabbed him by the arm. "Please!"

So bad he wanted to save him just to see Sesshoumaru happy and have the life he so wanted but he couldn't. "I'm sorry." He shook his head and curled his free arm around him to pull him into a hug.

"NO!" Sesshoumaru struggled against him not wanting the doctor to touch him. Naraku was lying he was sure of it. "You can save him you just don't want to!" He fought against him.

"I'm sorry." He held him tight against his chest as he continued to struggle and yell at him.

It didn't take long for the fight in him to die out leaving him slumped against Naraku weak and heartbroken. His dad though not dead yet was going to be when they removed his life support. He was all he had in his life and now he was gone gone to never to return.

"What will I do without him?" He sobbed into his chest as he fisted his fingers tightly into the doctor's shirt. "I have no one without him."

Naraku held him tight wanting to protect him from the hurt death always caused. "I will take care of you." He looked at Toga' serene face and nodded lightly. "I swear it." He whispered mostly to the man in the bed vowing he would make sure Sesshoumaru lived the life he deserved. The life his father wanted so badly to give him but was unable to due to the cruelties of the world around him.

"Naraku." Kei opened the door and lightly knocked on it.

Naraku looked over at him and nodded then looked down at the boy in his arms when the door was closed. "It's time."

Sesshoumaru looked up at him eyes wide, bloodshot, and drowning in tears. "I… I…" He chocked. "I can't do it."

"I know," he nodded. "but forcing him to live like this for the rest of his life is unfair to both him and you." He pulled him from his person and turned him to face the man in the bed. "Just know he may be gone physically but he'll always remain in your heart watching over you. He loves you and did everything he could in his life to make yours worth living."

Sesshoumaru sniffed and nodded knowing the doctor was right and grabbed his father's hand searing the feel of it into his memory. "Dad," he whimpered. "I… I…" he closed his eyes and sniffed. "love you." He placed his father's large warm hand against his cheek and nuzzled it. "I will be everything you always wanted me to be and I'll do it all for you."

He gently put his hand back down on the bed at his side, leaned down, and hugged him. "I will avenge you I swear." He whispered in his father's ear. "That bastard will pay for taking you away from me; promise." He pulled back and placed a kiss on his father's brow. "I swear it." He hissed determinedly and wiped at his eyes angrily.

Naraku drew his brows slightly wondering just what the boy was swearing to but dismissed it for the moment. He placed his hand on his shoulder and pulled him back against his chest. "Do you want to stay?"

Sesshoumaru stared at his father and nodded. "Yes," he again reached out and took his father's hand. "he needs me here with him. I won't leave him alone to die." New tears sprung from his eyes and poured heavily down his cheeks.

"Alright." He nodded at the boy then looked over at Kei standing at the door. "I'm right here with you." He squeezed his shoulder gently.

Sesshoumaru nodded, squeezed his father's hand tightly, placed his free hand atop the one on his shoulder. "Thank you." He whispered and kept his eyes on his father's face memorizing it as Kei turned off the life supporting equipment.


	17. Chapter 17

I hate writing tragedy fics they make me cry. That's why I don't have very many of them. Hopefully (but I doubt it) this is the last sad ass chapter of this fic. Hope you enjoy and hope to have a new chapter up soon. Much love for you all. Keva

Oh and P.S. If you don't know who Saix is just check out the pic above. If you don't remember in a chapter past I said I wasn't going to change two of the characters from the fandom this fic was originally intended for. So Xemnas and Saix will be players in this fic but not heavily so they'll have a small plot thingy going on to help advance the major plot of this fic. And last but not least Kei is my OC and you can't have him!

xx

"Are you sure?" Naraku questioned the boy before him.

"Yes," Sesshoumaru nodded. "this way he's always with me no matter where I go and not alone in the ground." He looked at the doctor. "Are you going to live here until I'm old enough and stable enough to be on my own? Will I live here the rest of my life?"

Naraku nodded at him. "Good point." He patted him gently on the shoulder.

"How long until I get him back?" Sesshoumaru questioned staring at the show coffin his father was in for the recently held memorial service.

"A few weeks." The funeral director answered. "Is there a specific urn you wish to have him put in?" He held the small pamphlet out for him to look at.

"This one." Sesshoumaru pointed at the silver one on the front with gold bands around the neck. "I want this one." He looked up at Naraku.

"Alright." He nodded and looked at the director. "The silver one on the front it is."

"Good choice." He nodded as he wrote it down on the invoice. "What about engraving?" He looked at the boy.

Sesshoumaru had to swallow down the knot that was lodged in his throat. He shouldn't be doing this now not at this age in his life. His dad wasn't supposed to die until he was old, really really old, like two hundred years old. They were supposed to sit around and argue about his funeral. He would tell his dad he didn't want to talk about it because dad's like him never died. His dad would tell him they had to talk about it because all things die at some point in life. Then they would argue and argue about it until he cussed and his dad thumped him one for having a foul mouth. That's how it was supposed to be, that's how he wanted it to be, but it wasn't.

Here he was at fifteen picking out an urn for his dad's ashes. His dad who wouldn't be there for all events no matter how big or small for the rest of his life. His dad would never ever be there for him again.

He couldn't do it this wasn't right. The tears he had been fighting off swelled to the surface and poured heavily down his cheeks. "I can't do this." He whispered brokenly. "He's not supposed to be dead now," he looked up at Naraku. "not now."

Naraku wrapped his arm around his shoulders and pulled him close. "We'll call later about the engraving." He nodded at the man.

"No problem." He smiled sadly at the boy. "I'll give you a few minutes for your final goodbyes." He gave a small bow of his head and left the room.

Sesshoumaru laid his head against Naraku's shoulder and stared at the coffin containing his father. "I can't believe he's gone." He used his sleeve to wipe the tears from his eyes.

"Only in body." He tired to comfort and held him a little tighter wanting to lessen his pain.

"Yea but it's still not the same." He whispered. "He's all I had."

Naraku sighed sadly at that. "Well I'm not your dad but you have me."

Sesshoumaru looked up at him then turned and slipped his arms around his waist. "Thank you." He buried his face into his chest.

He wrapped his arms tightly around the boy and somewhere deep within the recesses of his mind a voice was screaming at him. It was telling him he was going to really regret those word much much later; he was sure of it.

xx

_X- One Month Later –X_

"Tell me what you know." Saïx demanded as he narrowed his eyes deeply upon the doctor.

Naraku pinched the bridge of his nose tightly. "Why is it every time you have problems with Xemnas you come here thinking I know something?"

He glared harder at the doctor. "Do not think I'm stupid." He growled. "I know you got that boy into school on a favor from him."

"So," he shrugged. "people owe favors to people all the time."

"Not in this case." He ground his teeth together sharply. "When it comes to giving out scholarships Xemnas doesn't just hand them out to anybody. Which means you know something about him, something he wants to keep hidden from me."

He arched a dark brow at that. "And what would he have to possibly hide from you?"

"If I knew that I wouldn't be here asking you." He growled deadly. "I know whatever it is he did it while I was in Romania."

"So ask him." He bit out.

"I did." He narrowed his ambers upon him.

"And?"

"And nothing." He growled. "He said he did nothing. Now if that was true why would he give you that scholarship for nothing?"

"He didn't give it to me." He snorted and watched as Saïx narrowed his eyes even further. "So we're in no mood for jokes I take it."

"When am I ever?" He countered.

"Point taken and that's why you always think the worst." He nodded curtly at him. "Life isn't as serious as you always make it out to be. You need to relax; you want me to prescribe you something to take the edge off?"

"If murder wasn't illegal I would kill you right now." He bit out darkly.

"Well it's a damn bloody good thing it is." He smirked at him. "Now look for all you know Xemnas didn't do anything wrong maybe he did something for you. Maybe he bought you something or is planning a vacation for just the two of you. Give it time and let him do what he does best," he snorted. "drag things out for so long you want nothing more than to gut him."

He really couldn't argue with that. "I suppose but know if I find out you're lying you'll regret it." He threatened then turned and left his office.

Naraku shook his head. "Wherever you left your pleasant disposition I suggest you go get it back." He snorted at the door.

Then again he highly doubted Saïx ever had a pleasant disposition to begin with. That made him cringe being Sesshoumaru was much like Saïx, bitchy all the time. He really hoped the boy wouldn't grow up to be the same.

Just as he finished that thought said boy was dragged into his office by Kageromaru. "Now what?" He sighed deeply to himself.

"Boy you are trying my patience." Kageromaru growled and gave him a shove towards Naraku.

"I didn't know you were in there!" Sesshoumaru spun on him. "I thought Naraku was in there."

Kageromaru glowered at the boy. "No matter who was in there you DO NOT barge into a room when a doctor is with a patient unless it's an absolute emergency." He narrowed his eyes upon him. "Do it again and I'll bend you over my knee; understand?"

Sesshoumaru scowled at that. "I said I was sorry."

"Understand?" He bit out.

"Yes I understand." He huffed and plopped down onto a chair in front of Naraku's desk.

"You better boy." He nodded curtly at him then left the office.

Naraku sighed deeply. "Do we have to have the talk again?"

"No!" Sesshoumaru scowled at him. "It really wasn't my fault this time." He defended. "Kanna said you were in there and you weren't with a patient."

"And you didn't knock on the door because?"

He shrugged at that. "I thought you were in there alone."

He sat down at his desk very tempted to roll his eyes but suppressed the urge. "Alright why are you here?"

"Because I need you to sign this." He pulled a paper out of his backpack and slid it across the desk to him.

Naraku unfolded the paper and read it over then looked at the boy with brows raised highly.

"Don't get excited." He wrinkled his nose at him. "I chose it as my minor it doesn't mean anything."

"Oh? And how do you intend on dividing your time between so many classes?" He laid the paper on the desk. "I know what medical school is like."

"Its not medical school to be a doctor." He nodded at him. "You just read the paper; didn't you?" He suddenly narrowed his ambers upon him. "Or did you just see key words that hinted at doctor and thought I wanted to be like you?"

Naraku snorted at being caught then picked the paper up and gave it a thorough read. "Pharmacist?" He looked at the boy with brows drawn deeply.

"Not really." He shrugged. "I just want to study how plants are used to make medications, poisons, and all that."

"Then you're taking the wrong class." He nodded at him. "You'd want botany because they study the herbalism of plants in which medicines and poisons are derived."

"Are you sure?" He questioned with brows drawn.

"Yes, I'm a doctor remember." He snorted. "I took a year of botany just for that reason and to understand how to treat people that have been poisoned. A pharmacist only deals in mixing meds and filling prescriptions."

"Oh." He scowled. "Then don't sign that paper I don't want to take that class."

Naraku nodded at him and tossed the paper into the trash can. "Alright now tell my why you want to study plant life for medicinal purposes."

"I don't know." He shrugged. "Maybe because I was poisoned and if I knew about stuff like that I could have stopped it."

"Maybe maybe not." He nodded. "Metal poisonings are rare and unless you're specifically looking for it you may never necessarily find it." He eyed him carefully. "And I doubt you're going to be poisoned again."

"I know." He nodded irritably at him. "I just want to know how that's all."

"Alright." He nodded back at him. "Now lets talk about these messages I've been receiving," he pulled the messages from his desk drawer and set them in front of him. "from your Hapkido teacher about you skipping class."

"I didn't skip the class." He huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "I was late that's all."

"To every class for the last two weeks?" He arched a dark brow at him.

"Well I didn't want to take that stupid class anyway."

"Be that as it may but if you miss or are late to class tomorrow the library is off limits for one week." He ordered.

"What? You can't do that!" He glowered deadly at him. "How am I supposed to study without the library."

"On a computer like the rest of the modern world." He nodded at him. "I mean it Sesshoumaru go to the class."

"Fine!" He huffed. "I'll go to the stupid class tomorrow."

"Good lad." He smirked. "Now how much homework do you have?"

"Finished it at lunch except for a my sixth month report." He shrugged. "I'll have that done in a couple of weeks maybe."

"Well in that case I guess you have the rest of the day for yourself."

"Can I go to the ice cream shop?"

"Again?" He raised a brow at him.

Sesshoumaru frowned sadly at that. "It was my dad's favorite place to take me. He said it reminded him of the ice cream shops he'd go to when he was little. "

Naraku stared at him for a long moment then picked up the phone. "Kohaku, cancel all my appointments for the rest of the day." He ordered when the boy picked up.

"What are you doing?" He stare at him with brows drawn deeply.

"We're going to get ice cream." He shrugged as he gathered his stuff together.

Sesshoumaru watched him carefully. "Why do you want to go with me?"

"Because," he stood up and pulled his keys out of his pocket. "you want me to go with you."

"I do not." He stood up as well.

"You do." He smirked as he walked to the door. "Plus in the last month you haven't been acting normal so I think we need to have a talk."

"I have so been acting normal." He defended as he followed him out of the office.

"Really?" He countered over his shoulder. "Today was the first time you've fought with Kageromaru and you barely threw a fit about it. You don't argue with me and you just do as you're told without so much as a kiss my ass. That's not you." He held the door out to he parking lot open for him. "The only normal thing you do do is skip karate class."

"It's not karate and I don't skip it exactly." He argued.

"Either way that's not like you."

"Of course it's not." He hissed as he got into the car when Naraku unlocked it. "It hasn't been that long since my dad died you know." He pointed with a hard stare at the physician in the driver's seat. "Things will never be normal again."

"You're right they won't." He agreed. "But that doesn't mean you miss your dad any less if you still act like your normal self and I'm sure he doesn't like his son acting like this."

"Well where do I have the right to live a happy normal life when he doesn't get to live at all?" He demanded with a glare at him.

"Oh and you think this is how he wants to see you acting?" He arched a brow at him. "He raised you and molded you into what you are and you are destroying everything he did for you by not being who he raised you to be." He smiled over at him. "Remember he's with you always and knows everything you think and do."

"Don't say that." He cringed. "The last thing I want is to know that my dad is reading my mind."

"And what would you be thinking that you don't want your dad to know about?"

"That's none of your business." He growled.

"A girl?" He teased.

"Eww… No." He glared harder at him.

He looked over at him and drew his brows. "A boy?"

"NO." He hissed. "Just drop it!"

"Me?"

His ambers narrowed to thin little slits. "For the last time mind your own business."

"Ah so it is me you're thinking about." He grinned wickedly at him. "Maybe if you're a good little boy I'll let you tell me what you're thinking about and well see what we can do about it."

"What is wrong with you today?!" He demanded.

He shook his head. "Nothing. This is me being my normal self and that's you being your normal self. Suspicious and bitchy." He nodded. "That's the Sesshoumaru I prefer, the normal bitchy boy who thinks I'm out to get him. The one that doesn't take shit from anybody."

"You like me the way I was?" He drew his brows.

Naraku nodded. "Yes. You were real about who you were, what you hated, what you liked. Now you act like you just don't care about anything and that makes you boring."

"Boring?" He scowled. "I'm not boring."

"Seriously?" He looked over at him after he parked the car in front of the ice cream shop. "Had I called you boring a few months ago you would have ripped my head off. You are undoubtedly boring with a capital B."


	18. Chapter 18

"I am not!" He hissed at him.

Naraku shot a hand out and caught him by the chin. "Oh you are." He smirked at him.

Sesshoumaru scowled at him as they locked stares. "I am not!"

"Is that the best you can do?" He arched a brow at him. "Just argue back like you're a five year old?"

"No." He hissed as he slapped his hand from his face. "You just want me to have a petty argument with you and that makes you stupid."

He rubbed his chin in thought as he stared at him. "Not your best but I suppose it's a work in progress." He nodded at him then got out of the car before he could respond to that.

"I hate you so much." He hissed then got out of the car and followed the doctor into the ice cream shop.

xx

"Alright so what is it?" Naraku questioned as he sat down across from the boy after set his order in front of him.

Sesshoumaru pulled his burger apart and removed the pickles as he sighed. "My birthday." He nodded as replaced the pickle slices with some fries.

"Is it coming up?" Naraku drew his brows as he watched him put his hamburger back together.

"No." He shook his head. "It past already."

"When?"

He wrinkled his nose and stirred the whip cream into his shake. "Last weekend."

"Last weekend?" Naraku stared wide eyed at him. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it doesn't matter." He shrugged dismissively.

"It most certainly does." He growled. "Sweet sixteen."

"I'm not a girl." He glared at him. "The sixteenth birthday for a boy isn't that big of a deal. It's all about the eighteenth and twenty-first birthdays."

"Birthdays aren't about the numbers," he pointed out. "it's about celebrating your life."

"Who wants to celebrate my life?" He cringed. "The only person that would care is gone forever." He frowned down at his food. "My first birthday without him." He whispered sadly.

"Well firstly, I care." Naraku scowled at him. "Secondly, as much as you don't think it's fair you're alive. I highly doubt your dad wants you to just float through life barely existing."

"I know he doesn't." He glared at him. "But life isn't going to be one big party all the time. It's barely been a month how soon do you expect me to be back to normal?"

"Never completely," he nodded at him. "but each day I expect you to act a little more like the bitchy boy I'm more accustomed to."

"For the last time I'm not bitchy!"

"Ah Sesshoumaru you're back." He smirked.

Ambers narrowed to thin little slits. "You know you're the only one who thinks you're funny. Everyone says so." He hissed.

"I don't know about that." He tilted his head slightly. "I have been voted a few times as the funniest man on the third floor."

"Yes senile elderly people do find simple things funny." He snorted. "Not hard to win a challenge there."

"Oh aren't you the funny one." He rolled his eyes at him.

"Clearly I am." He pulled the straw out of his shake and sucked it clean.

Naraku watched him and did but did not like the vision before him. He wanted to see Sesshoumaru do that but not to a straw. No, no, he did not want to see that or do that and he thought for sure those thoughts were gone for good.

"Funny like a toadstool." Naraku snorted pushing his impure thoughts to the back of his mind to be forgotten.

"I don't know cartoons use toadstools all the time," he shrugged. "so they must be funny and if not I know for sure they're funnier than you."

"Why must you wound me so." He snorted sarcastically.

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes at that. "Are we back to that again? Playing the wounded victim when I don't think you're just the greatest thing in the world."

"Boy do you know what sarcasm is?" He arched a dark brow at him.

"Of course I don't." He drawled out sarcastically and smirked at him. "I just don't think you're that funny, get over it."

"Neither are you." He glared. "A child who thinks he's so perfect when in reality he's just a child."

Sesshoumaru ground his teeth together sharply. "Don't call me a child! You know I hate it when you call me that!"

"Touched a nerve there." He smirked. "You see boy two can play your little game."

"I hate you so much right now." He glowered.

"I know." He smirked back at him. "Maybe one day I'll show you how much I hate you." His eyes suddenly snapped wide matching the wide ambers staring back at him at his words.

"What?" Sesshoumaru questioned just above a whisper.

"Nothing." He looked away and took a bite of his own burger.

"I heard you." Sesshoumaru stared hard at him. "But I want to know what you mean by that." He demanded knowing full well that Naraku always knew what he meant when he said he hated someone and especially him. So now he wanted to know if Naraku was using his definition of hate. Actually he was sure he was being every time he told him he hated him he was quick to return the sentiment in kind.

"Nothing." He growled and kept his eyes locked on anything but the boy.

"Liar!" He bit out. "That's the second time you've hinted at something with me today and I want to know just what the hell you're thinking!" He demanded with a bang of his fist against the table finally forcing the doctor to look at him.

"It means nothing." He growled. "They were just words that came out wrong and there was no meaning behind any of it."

"Again you make the worst liar." He glared at him. "Now tell me do you or do you not have a crush on me?"

"A crush?" He arched a brow highly at that. "Can't remember the last time I had a crush on anything."

"Don't try to change the subject." He ordered coldly. "Now answer me!"

Naraku stared at him slightly wide eyed. "Just who the hell is boss here?"

"Stop it." He banged his fist against the table again. "Do you have a crush on me yes or no?!"

"Alright what difference would it make if I did or didn't?" He questioned as he set his elbows on the table and laced his fingers together. "What would you do about it one way or the other?"

Sesshoumaru scowled at that. "I don't know. I mean if you did I'll… well… I don't know and if you don't then I guess it's no big deal." He nodded.

"Well now I'm curious of what you would do if I told you I had a crush on you." He snorted trying not to laugh.

"Nothing." He nodded curtly at him.

"Liar." His midnight eyes glinted. "You'd do something, of that I'm sure."

"I would not." He huffed and took an angry bite of his burger.

He couldn't help but smirk at that. "Well now I know your lying for sure." His smirk turned a little dark. "Alright lets play. I do have a crush on you."

"Shut up." He hissed. "You're just saying that to get me to do something."

"Perhaps." He leered at him. "Or I could do something to you."

"Fine!" He huffed irritably. "You don't have a crush on me."

"Now how do you know?" He arched a brow at him. "Maybe I do and I'm just trying to keep you from realizing that I do."

"I'm not going to play this with you anymore." He nodded curtly. "Just eat your lunch and take me home. I'm already sick of you."

Naraku grinned evilly at him. "So sick that you still run to my bed when you have a nightmare?"

"Shut up!" He hissed wanting to reach across the table and slap the doctor stupid.

"No," his eyes glinted loving getting under this boy's skin. "I'm curious as to what you really think of me. Is it perhaps that you have a crush on me?"

"No. Why would I have a crush on you?" He scowled.

"Well," he scratched his chin thoughtfully. "perhaps it's my wit, or my charm, or my sophistication…"

"Get over yourself." He snorted cutting him off and rolled his eyes at him. "I would never be attracted to someone who was so full of himself his ego could fill a room."

"My ego isn't so huge just a little swollen."

"Either way it's too big." He nodded curtly then took a dink of his shake. "How come you don't have a girlfriend?" He questioned seriously. "Aren't doctors a hot commodity for women trying to hike the social ladder?"

Naraku shrugged at that. "Well the cliché does say doctors and lawyers are what women want the most." He nodded. "As for me like I've told you before most women only want to date me to have access to my checkbook."

Sesshoumaru tilted his head slightly to the side. "Is that why all the doctors in your office and at the hospital are single?"

"Well not all of them are single." He smirked.

He drew his brows at that. "Who isn't single? I mean I've never seen anyone come visit them or anything."

"Lets see here. Kei is married even though he doesn't act like it. Kohaku has a girlfriend and I think her name is Rin." He smirked at him. "And if you can believe it which half the time I don't but Kageromaru and Jak have been together on and off for years."

"Nuh-huh." He stared wide eyed at him.

"It's true." He nodded at him. "They're were on the off when you started working at the office but once Jak got back from his vacation they were back on." He sighed deeply. "You know when they're off because Jak gets extra bitchy about everything."

"How can you tell?" He snorted. "He's always bitchy."

"True," he chuckled. "but once you really get to know him and understand his M.O. you can tell the difference."

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "Of all the doctors I've met in my life none of them were anything like you and your office."

"Maybe, maybe not." He shrugged. "You've gotten to see us beyond just being your doctors. So for all you know had you gotten a closer look into their lives outside the hospital they'd be the same."

"I don't know." He stared dubiously at him. "They all seemed overstuffed sans personality."

"Yes but only to you. You don't know how they are with their other patients." He nodded. "Plus I'm sure they had preconceived ideas about you since your name was floating around heavily in the medical community. Even I heard your name a few times long before you ever made it to my office."

He cringed at that not liking that so many people heard of him and talked about him. "I don't want to talk about that." That was a horrible experience that he'd just as soon forget. "If I ever see my mom again I'll kill her for doing what she did to me and my dad." He nodded curtly.

"Do you think she'll ever come around again?" He questioned kind of hoping the woman would show up. He wouldn't mind giving her a piece of his mind about her behavior then doing his level best to have her put away for attempted murder.

"I don't know." He sighed and shook his head. "She might if she finds out my dad died."

"Why would she bother?" He questioned as he arched a brow at him.

He shrugged. "Greed and probably to get me back." He then stared wide eyed at him. "She can't take me back; can she?"

Naraku sighed deeply through his nose and shook his head. "I don't know."

"You wouldn't let her would you?" He stared pleadingly at him. "She'd probably kill me if I had to go live with her."

"Don't worry." He nodded reassuringly at him. "If she tried I doubt she'd have the money to fight me and secondly we have medical proof of her neglect and attempted murder. No judge in their right mind would give you to her."

"Yes but judges have been known to side with the mother even when neglect is involved." He pointed out knowingly. "Then down the road that child ends up dead and the judge is absolved of all wrong because he thought he was doing the **right** thing."

Naraku sighed deeply. "Yes but not every case ends that way. Plus in your case you're old enough to testify of your mother's neglect and be believed. Most times it's the younger kids that have no voice because they're too young to talk for themselves that get sent to one parent or another."

"I guess." He agreed though he wasn't all that sure that he wouldn't get sent to his mother should she suddenly show up. "Promise me you won't let her take me." He stared at the doctor with pleading eyes.

Naraku stared at him and nodded. "I promise I'll do whatever I can to make sure she never hurts you again."

That wasn't exactly what he wanted but it was something. "Thank you," he looked down at his half eaten burger. "for everything you've done for me. I know you didn't have to and didn't want to but..." He trailed off and worried the corner of the wax paper his burger was sitting on before he ripped the corner off. "Why did you?" He whispered as he ripped another piece of the paper apart.

Naraku watched his tic of ripping paper rear its ugly head… again. Which meant he was upset about something and this time it wasn't about his dad. He had been doing it on and off since his dad died to deal with the pain but this time it was about his worry over his mother and what was going to happen to him. "Remember it was for you to go to school." He pointed out and watched as Sesshoumaru took the paper out from under his burger and began ripping it apart in earnest making a mess of white confetti all over the place.

"But what about now? Why did you keep me?" He didn't look up at him and wished he had his bag with all his paper in it. He needed something darker than white to rip apart.

"You don't want to stay with me?"

"No it's not that." He gave a curt shake of his head. "I just don't understand why you would go through so much trouble for me."

How was he suppose to answer that? He knew why but hell he could barely accept the reason in his own mind let alone tell the boy the truth. "Because you need someone to care about you." He answered with the most generic answer he could come up with.


	19. Chapter 19

First before it's brought up, the passport thing is sorta correct it took me just over two months to get mine and six weeks for my brother to get his. So the length of time is up for debate especially since my mom got hers in just over four weeks and we all sent them in at the same time. Go figure. Secondly I'm writing this for another fandom and just change the details as the chapters get done. So if something slips like the wrong eye color or hair color or even the wrong sex shows up that's why. I'm hoping the fandom this is originally written for will come alive again but I'm not holding my breath.

Though if the few of you who know which fandom this is really for and want to read it for that fandom as well let me know and I'll throw it up on media miner or something. Whelp that's it for now. Hope you enjoy; much love for you all. Keva

xx

"You care about me?" He stopped ripping the paper and stared at him unbelievingly.

"What other reason would there be for me going through so much trouble for you?" He questioned back.

"I never really thought of why you would." He shrugged and stared at the confetti mess he made on the table. "Things have been such a mess in my life for so long I really never gave much thought to why a lot of people do the things they do. I only ever cared about what happens to me and my dad."

"Well believe it or not clearly I care and if I didn't you would be in foster care right now."

For some reason those words seemed to lift the tension off his shoulders. "Thank you." He smiled lightly at him and crumpled up the paper in his hand.

"You're welcome." He smiled back at him glad he shut down his paper ripping session so quickly. "Now lets talk about this birthday of yours."

"There's nothing to talk about." He scowled at him. "It's come and gone no need to do anything about it."

"I don't think so." He nodded at him. "Do you want to go somewhere? Should we have a party at the office? What do you want for a present?"

"Nowhere, no, and nothing." He answered as he narrowed his ambers to thin little slits.

Naraku smirked at him. "I know." He nodded.

If possible he narrowed his eyes even further. "No."

"You don't even know what I'm thinking. So how can you say no?" He arched a dark brow at him.

"I do so." He nodded curtly at him. "You're thinking of having a party at work or something just as stupid."

"I am not." He nodded. "I was thinking of taking you to the art supply store so you can shop your little heart out but after that you'll be lucky to get an unused pencil out of me."

"The art supply store?" He questioned as his eyes brightened.

"It was a thought but now I just don't think you deserve it." He glared. "Calling me stupid kind of took the giving mood right out of me."

"I didn't call you stupid just the idea of having a party for me." He nodded determinedly. "I wouldn't be completely put off on going to the art store."

"Say you're sorry for calling my idea stupid and I'll think about it." He arched a brow at him.

Sesshoumaru wrinkled his nose at that. "Sorry." He nearly huffed.

"Well," he huffed right back acting insulted. "hope that didn't cause you too much pain to say."

"Not too much." He shrugged dismissively. "I'll be over it in about an hour or two."

"Oh what a funny little man you are." He snorted and finished off his burger.

"So can we go after we're done?" He gave him the most innocent charming look he could manage. "Please?"

He sighed deeply and shook his head. "Yes we can go." He agreed then smiled at how much that caused the boy to brighten. It was a slow process but Sesshoumaru was slowly coming back to his old self.

xx

Naraku held up the receipt in front of his face after he set the last bag down on the floor. "Two hundred dollars? What in the hell did you buy?" He looked at the bags on the floor. "All you bought was paper and charcoal," he eyed the boy critically. "which I could have bought fifteen bags of for the cost of three of those cases of charcoal."

"It's not the same stuff." Sesshoumaru huffed though he was smiling. "That's just for cooking."

"Charcoal is charcoal no matter what it's used for." Naraku nodded at him.

"I don't care. This is what I use to draw with." He nodded back at him.

Naraku sighed deeply. "Spoiled brat." He muttered under his breath. "So are you satisfied with your birthday present," he looked at the bags. "presents?"

"Yes." He smiled happily at him. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He smiled back and picked up the two bags of construction paper of every color. "And can you please make these last for the rest of your life? Though," he rubbed his chin thoughtfully with his free hand as he stared at the bags. "I suppose we could start our own confetti business. Make some money back on all this artsy stuff."

"That's not funny." Sesshoumaru glared at him.

He looked over at him. "I wasn't joking." He smirked. "I have every single piece of paper you've ripped since moving in in bags in the closet." He nodded towards the hall. "At the rate you've been going I'm going to have to move the bags into the spare room."

"You lie." He narrowed his ambers deeply.

"No." He shook his head. "Go see for yourself."

Sesshoumaru looked towards the hall. "Really?" He looked back at him. "Why would you do that?"

"I have my reasons." He shrugged and picked up a few of the other bags to take to Sesshoumaru's room.

"Like what?" He questioned as he picked up the rest of his bags. "What reasons do you have to save my ripped up paper?"

"Well first you never clean it up." He nodded curtly at him with a glare as he walked past him. "Secondly, one day you're going to let it all go and that confetti you make will be your celebration of freedom."

"Freedom?" He followed him into his room.

"From your past." He set the bags down on the floor by his desk. "Life changes as you grow and your present soon becomes your past. As you get older you realize that your past should be left there to barely be remembered." He cringed at the boy staring wide eyed at him. "Alright that's enough philosophical stuff out of me for the rest of the year."

"I hope so." He nodded at him. "Stick to doctoring."

Naraku snorted at that. "There's one more thing we need to discuss."

"What?" He questioned as he started putting away all his new art stuff.

"Driver's ed."

He stopped what he was doing and stared at him. "What? Driver's ed?"

"Yes driver's ed." He nodded curtly. "I'll start looking into classes for you this week."

"I don't have time." He scowled. "Between college, homework, Hapkido, and working I don't have time to take on one more class for anything."

"I am aware of that." He nodded. "So instead of coming to work you'll go to driving classes and once you're classes are over you can go back to work. And," he continued before he could argue with him which he was sure the boy was going to do. "I'll still give you money to live on during your classes. Then once you have your license we'll put part of the money from selling your dad's house towards a car and the rest we'll put into a trust."

"But I only just turned sixteen." He nodded. "Can I take classes this soon?"

"I don't see why not." He shrugged. "If you were in high school still it would be a requirement at some point this year or at the first of next year. May as well get it done and over with. Also…"

"Now what?" He questioned cutting him off.

"Now what is that the holidays are coming up." He nodded.

Sesshoumaru wrinkled his nose at that. "I don't want to think about that right now. It's bad enough with my birthday without him I don't want to think about future events without him."

"Well you have to think about it because you need to get a passport." He nodded curtly.

"Why? Where are we going?"

"Scotland to see my family." He sighed. "I promised them I would come home this year and I'm not leaving you here alone." He ordered easily sensing the _'I don't want to go'_ argument rearing it's ugly head. "Don't argue it because you're going whether you want to or not."

"Fine." He bit out. "So are we going to your parents for both holidays or just one?"

"Just Christmas." He nodded.

"Well that's just over three months away." He nodded. "Why do I need to worry about it now?"

"Because it can take up to two months to get your passport." He pointed out.

"Oh." He sighed. "So if we're going to your parents for Christmas what are we doing for Thanksgiving?"

Naraku cringed at that.

"What?" He glared at the face he made. "What's happening that day that you don't want to do?"

He sighed deeply. "We're going to Xemnas and Saïx's for dinner."

"Really?" He cringed. "Why do we have to go to their house? Can't we go to Kei's or something?"

"No Kei and his wife are going to her parents house in Montana." He shook his head.

"Well what about anyone else?"

"Hmm…" he hummed. "let's see. Kageromaru and Jak are going out of town to have a quiet weekend to themselves if they stay together that long. Kohaku and Rin are coming with us since Rin is Xemnas' neice and lastly Kanna is going to stay home with her parents. So you see we really have nowhere else to go and I'm not going to back out on the invite because you don't want to go."

"At least there'll be someone there I know besides you I guess." He nodded submitting to the event.

"Well between now and then maybe you could get Kohaku to introduce you to Rin and then you'll know two people besides me." He pointed out. "You need more friends anyway. Just friending up to Kohaku isn't enough. AND," he eyed him seriously. "you need to get out and do stuff. Spending all your time in the library, working, at school, and hiding in your room isn't healthy."

"I don't like people."

"I don't care." He countered. "I want you to take one day a week to go out and do stuff with people your own age."

"And how am I suppose to do that?" He glared at him as he emptied the last bag. "All the people my age are still in high school doing high school stuff. My school hours and their school hours are different. I don't know where they hang out or what they do after school since I'm in class when they get out." He narrowed his eyes when he opened his mouth to respond to that. "And don't say join a club or something equally stupid because I don't have the time. My schedule is full unless you'll let me quit Hapkido?" He questioned hopefully.

"No." He shook his head and sighed. "I guess we'll just leave things as they are for now and hope for the best later."

"You act like I'm some disaster you can't quite clean up." He glared at him.

Naraku smirked at that. "I wouldn't say disaster exactly more like a work in progress."

"I hate you." He bit out and pointed towards the door. "Now get out."

"Not so fast." He eyed him seriously. "Speaking of Hapkido don't you have class today?"

"Yes but not until five."

"Good I'll take you to make sure you're on time." He nodded as headed out of the room.

"God I hate you so much."

He waved a dismissive hand over his shoulder. "Not today you're too young." He insinuated before he disappeared completely around the corner into the hall.

"I didn't mean it like that." He called as he stormed to the door and looked down the hall at his retreating form.

"You said hate I'm well aware of what you mean." He shrugged then was again out of sight as he headed for his office.

Sesshoumaru stood there and as much as he was irritated by that exchange he couldn't help but smile a little. Yes he hated Naraku and deep down he wanted to show him just how much he hated him.

He wasn't stupid by any means and from the first time they met Naraku had been flirting with him. At first he didn't notice it and he doubted Naraku realized what he was doing. However ever since his stay in the hospital he had noticed it and part of him wished the man would just come out and tell him he was attracted to him.

Yet he also understood the dangers especially with his age and Naraku's standing in the medical community. If they did anything and someone found out Naraku would be ruined. He could not and would not do that to him especially after all the man has done for him. However that didn't mean he couldn't have his fun with him either like crawling into bed with him under the guise of having a nightmare.

Now after today after catching him blatantly flirting with him he decided he was going to take it up a notch. Not so much so it would cause him any trouble but just enough to crawl under his skin and make him uncomfortable.

He smirked to himself and left his room thinking that now seemed as good a time to start as any. It was his birthday after all and he was entitled to some fun fun that could get him into the good kind of trouble.


	20. Chapter 20

Sesshoumaru walked into Naraku's office and found him standing at his desk going over some papers in his hands. A smirk tugged on his lips as he unbuttoned the top four buttons on his shirt, reached up began rubbing his neck and shoulder as he walked towards the doctor. "Naraku?"

Naraku looked up at the boy. "What?"

"What's a good remedy for stiff muscles in your neck and shoulder?" He questioned then turned around and lifted his silver hair up baring his neck to him as he pushed the shirt off his shoulder a little further.

Dark eyes scanned over the creamy white flesh as fingers gently massaged the supposed sore spot. "Moist heat like a bath could help or stretching."

Sesshoumaru turned his head to look at him from the corner of his eye. "A bath or stretching?" He questioned as he continued to gently massage the fake cramp in his shoulder. "What about massage?"

Naraku reached up and took over the massaging of his neck and shoulder. "Massage works too." He said and used both hands to work the boy's neck and shoulder muscles.

"Mmm…" Sesshoumaru hummed and then sighed happily. "That feels really good." He closed his eyes and let his head drop further to the side. This had to be the best idea he had ever had; hands on right away.

He watched his hands press and rub against the boy's smooth soft skin and licked his suddenly very dry lips. He could feel another fantasy beginning to play through his mind just when he thought for sure he had that problem well under control. "Better?" He questioned his voice sounding way too breathy for his liking.

"A little." He smiled as he undid the rest of the buttons of his shirt and let it fall completely off his shoulders. "I guess I have a lot of tension." He whispered and let his head drop forward as Naraku moved his other hand to his now bared other shoulder. "Yes, right there." He moaned quietly when Naraku pressed his thumbs into the muscle at the base of his neck.

He wanted to jerk his hands away and stop this but he couldn't. Plus the way the boy kept moaning about how good it felt made him want to do it all the more… wanted to make him do other things to make him moan like that.

The temptation was just too great all that creamy flesh demanded he do more than just touch it. Without thinking about what he was doing he leaned down and gave into the want of tasting that creamy skin.

Sesshoumaru tilted his head to the side and smiled at the feel of Naraku's warm lips against his neck. He didn't think his plan would work this well or that Naraku would ever dare go so far. He wasn't complaining though and he was going to do whatever it took to keep Naraku from stopping.

He moved his hands from his shoulders to his hips and pulled him back against him as his lips slowly moved up to his ear. He didn't know if he was dreaming again or not but either way the boy tasted as good as he looked.

Sesshoumaru sighed happily and placed his hands atop the ones on his hips to tangle their fingers together.

Naraku snapped out of whatever haze he had been trapped under when he heard the boy sigh. "Go take a hot shower." He jerked his hands off his shoulders and turned away from him. That fantasy was just WAY too vivid leaving him to wonder how much of what just happened was real and how much was fantasy.

Sesshoumaru turned around and smirked at his back. "But you were doing such a good job." He pouted trying to hide his grin. "And as a doctor you were only healing my pains; weren't you?"

"Yes." He nodded though he kept his back to him. "If your muscles are stiff go take a hot bath or shower." He growled.

He buttoned his shirt back up and stared suspiciously at him. "You do that a lot."

"Do what?" He stared hard at him.

"Go off in la la land and just stand there all spaced out." He eyed him carefully then placed a hand to his forehead. "Are you sick?"

"I'm fine." He bit out and slapped his hand from his face.

"So what were you thinking this time?" He questioned with an arched brow.

He scowled at him. "Nothing, just drop it."

"Not this time." He crossed his arms over his chest. "You've been doing that practically since we met so what are you thinking?" When the doctor failed to respond to that he smiled at him. "It's okay you know."

"What is?" He glared.

"I like you too." He walked up to him and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Don't worry I won't tell anyone about what you did and I won't use it against you." He smiled then left the room to Naraku staring wide eyed at him.

"What did I do?" He quietly questioned himself.

Did he really do what he thought was a dream? In his dream he had Sesshoumaru by the hips pulled tightly against him. However when he came to himself his hands were on his shoulders. So did that mean only that part was a dream or was the boy just messing with him and only guessing what was going through his mind?

Whatever happened was not good and he was going to have to work extra hard to make sure it never EVER happened again. Although if Sesshoumaru was aware of his thoughts and desires like he said that meant he was going to have two battles on his hands. He wasn't only going to have to be aware of his imagination but now it looked as though the boy was aware of his thoughts and intended on encouraging him. For now that he thought about it how was it that he so suddenly had a muscle cramp in his neck? He knew these things just didn't appear out of nowhere they either happened while you slept or they slowly built up into a nasty cramp.

He had been with the boy for the better part of the day and not once did he complain that his muscles were aching. Which lead him to only one conclusion and it was a conclusion he did not like one bit. Sesshoumaru faked his pain intentionally in order to see what he would do.

This was not a good thing; not a good thing at all.

xx

"When is the next conference?"

Kohaku stared up at his employer wide eyed. "Do you want to go?"

"I'm considering it." Naraku nodded.

"Why?" He stared at him disbelievingly.

Naraku stared at his receptionist. "I was told in no uncertain terms that I have to have at least one conference a year under my belt." He lied. "And I'm guessing that this one is the last one of the year?" He arched a dark brow at the boy.

"Yea." He nodded suspiciously. "But if that rule was true then why haven't I heard of it?"

"Because," he sighed. "it only applies to me since I've never gone to one. Well anyone who has never gone anyway." Oh he was such a liar but damn he needed to get away for a few days and get his head cleared. This Sesshoumaru thing was getting way out of control and he had to reel it in before something happened that could seriously destroy both their lives.

"Well if you go to the conference what are you going to do with Sesshoumaru?" He stared up at him with brows raised highly.

Naraku sighed deeply and jabbed his fingers through his dark hair. "Do they have daycares for kids his age?"

Kohaku chuckled and shook his head. "Don't be silly."

He sighed deeply and slumped in his shoulders. "Well I can't send him to stay with Kageromaru for I fear one of them might end up dead. Kei is out and Kanna isn't trustworthy enough so that leaves you." He nodded.

"I would but Rin is working nights for the next three weeks." He nodded apologetically.

"So what am I going to do with him then?" He scowled.

"Well you could take him with you or see if Xemnas and Saïx will take him." He suggested with a shrug. "Or Jak?" He questioned nervously.

"Are you out of your damn mind?" His eyes widened hugely.

"Then what are you going to do Naraku?" He questioned wide eyed. "You can't leave him by himself for three days." He shook his head. "You either send him to stay with Saïx and Xemnas, take him with you, or Kei is it."

He wrinkled his nose thinking that he should have planned this out a little better. "So what's Kei's schedule like for those three days?"

He shrugged. "The same as always; on call after working thirty-six straight."

He pressed his lips together tightly and sighed heavily through his nose.

"It's a wonder his wife hasn't divorced him yet." He nodded thoughtfully.

"I'm sure it's his charming personality that keeps her around." He snorted sarcastically. "And that's completely irrelevant to the issue at hand."

Kohaku sighed deeply and stared up at him. "So what are you going to do then? It's either Saïx and Xemnas or you take him with you."

Naraku stared thoughtfully at him and slumped in defeat. "So what's your take on him staying with Saïx and Xemnas?"

He shook his head slowly. "Not good." He snorted. "Sesshoumaru and Saïx are just alike in so many ways either they'll get along real well or," he smirked at him. "and this is what I'm betting on they'll kill each other." His eyes suddenly widened. "I know; why don't you take Sesshoumaru to meet with Saïx and see how they mesh then you'll know." He nodded.

"I suppose it's an option and really my only one." He sighed deeply in defeat. "If it all goes wrong which I'm sure it will I'll have to take him with me." He nodded. "So where is the conference being held?"

"Um…" He hummed and looked back at the calendar on his desk. "Atlanta."

"What would I do with him there if I took him?"

"Coke museum." Kohaku nodded. "Or Underground, or Stone Mountain, or one of the museums. Or if you want to extend it a day or two you could go to Ruby Falls. That's what Rin and I did when we went for our anniversary last year."

"I'm not taking him on vacation." He scowled. "I'm already doing that for the holidays."

"Naraku he's your responsibility whether you want him or not." He pointed out. "He's going to be involved in everything you do whether directly or indirectly."

He stared at him and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe I can put him up for adoption." He nodded mostly to himself.

"You wouldn't!" Kohaku gasped as he stared wide eyed at him. "That boy has had enough troubles in his life he doesn't need you trying to get rid of him like he's a burden you don't want."

"I was kid…"

"You want me to go away?"

Naraku turned and stared wide eyed at the boy in question. "No, of course not."

Sesshoumaru scowled at him. "If you don't want me just say so and I'll leave."

"Firstly that's not what I said and secondly where would you go anyway?"

Deep ambers narrowed deeply. "It doesn't matter where as long as I'm not a burden to you." He growled then turned and stormed towards the door.

"Oh no you don't." Naraku growled and grabbed him by the arm before he could get too far.

"Let go of me!" He hissed and tried to jerk free of his hold.

Naraku began pulling him towards his office. "Call Saïx and schedule a dinner date with him and Xemnas at their earliest convenience." He ordered over his shoulder to Kohaku before he disappeared around the corner heading for his office.

Once he had them both in his office he closed the door and stared at the boy. "Before you start jumping to conclusions I was only joking." He nodded curtly at him.

"Why would you make a joke like that?" He questioned offended and rather hurt by it. "Am I really that big of a problem for you?"

"Of course not." He scowled then sighed and leaned against the door tiredly. "The problem is I have to go to a three day conference and I'm trying to figure out what to do with you while I'm gone."

Sesshoumaru drew his brows deeply. "What do you mean? Why would you do anything with me at all?"

"I mean getting you somewhere to stay while I'm gone." He nodded.

"I can stay by myself for three days I'm not a baby." He scowled.

"No." He shook his head curtly. "I'm not letting you stay by yourself for three days while I'm gone. You're either going to go stay with Saïx and Xemnas or Kei."

"I don't want to stay with any of them." He shook his head. "Why can't I just go with you?"

"And do what?" He arched a brow highly at him. "Sit in the hotel room for three days?"

He shrugged. "Why not? It's better than staying with strangers for three days."

"If you would get to know people they wouldn't be strangers." He scowled. "You can't be this recluse your whole life and I'm not going to put up with it a day longer." He ordered with a curt nod. "If Xemnas and Saïx don't work out you'll stay with Kei and if not him you'll come with me as a last resort."

"Can't I just skip all of them and go with you?" He questioned pleadingly.

"No." He eyed him carefully. "Alright Sesshoumaru what is it?" He could easily see something was bothering the boy and he was going to pin it down before he had another confetti party.


	21. Chapter 21

Ffnet's new site set up sucks ass! (Just had to put that out there.) I really hope this is a temporary upgrade issue and not a permanent thing. Anywho on with the fic and yes it's a little short but that's the way it goes sometimes. Hope you enjoy; much love for you all. Keva

xx

Sesshoumaru scowled down at his feet as he pulled a blue envelope out of his backpack and held it out to him. "I got this today."

Naraku drew his brows deeply as he took the envelope and stared at the names and addresses on the front. "Who is Kimi?" He looked at him.

Sesshoumaru flinched at the name as he continued to look down at his feet and knotted his fingers in front of him. "My mom." He whispered. "She knows my dad is dead."

He turned the envelope over and drew his brows. "How do you know; you haven't even opened it yet." He nodded and again looked at him. "For all you know it could be a late birthday card."

Deep ambers locked with onyx. "She never bothered to send me one before so why now especially after my dad died?"

Naraku sighed deeply. "Well there's only one way to find out for certain." He nodded and opened the envelope. As soon as he saw the front of the card he pressed his lips together tightly.

"I told you." Sesshoumaru nodded as he stared at the card that had _'My Condolences'_ in gold cursive lettering on the front. "She knows."

Naraku paid no mind to the boy and opened the card to see what the woman had to say. "Over my dead body." He growled and tossed the card into the garbage can.

"What'd it say?" He stared up at him worriedly.

"That you were welcome to go and live with her." He snorted.

Silver brows drew deeply. "I was welcome to go stay?" He questioned confused by that. "I thought for sure she'd say I had to go."

"It's probably just an opening to give you the chance to willingly go." He growled. "I suspect she'll come when you don't show up."

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "You can't let her take me." He whispered in a panic.

"Don't worry." He placed his hand on his shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze. "You really think I would let her take you after all she's done? For crying out loud we have the proof she was poising you. If she shows up she'll be arrested."

"You can't leave me." He shook his head. "What if she does show up anyway? She might try to kidnap me or something."

Naraku stared at the boy like he had suddenly developed a severe case of second head syndrome. "You're not a little boy I'm sure if she tries to steal you you can stop her or call for help or do something. For cripes sake you're in Hapkido you can defend yourself."

He continued to shake his head. "You can't leave me." He stared wide eyed and fearfully at him. "Please."

Naraku sighed deeply and opened his mouth to respond to that when Kohaku's voice came through the intercom.

"Saïx said the only available time they had open is tonight."

He pressed the button on the phone. "That's fine. What time?"

"Six."

"We'll be there." He nodded as he stared at the boy.

"What's that about?" Sesshoumaru questioned as he stared at the doctor.

"We're having dinner tonight with Xemnas and Saïx." He began going through the papers on his desk.

"Why?"

"Because they are friends even if they don't seem like it." He hit the speaker button for Kohaku. "When you make the reservations for the conference make it for two." As much as he didn't want to take the boy he was just going to have to especially with his mother getting in contact with him. It was better to err on the side of caution and give himself a lobotomy to cope with his immoral fantasies of the boy. Especially since his fantasies were getting WAY to vivid to be just a fantasy.

"Will do." He answered.

"Naraku?"

"Hmm?" He hummed as he looked at his calendar trying to decide if he should take that whole week of the conference off or not.

Sesshoumaru moved to stand next to him and grabbed his hand.

"What are you doing?" He questioned being jerked out of his thoughts to stare at the boy.

"Thank you." He nodded seriously. "For everything that you've done for me."

"You've already thanked me once for the same thing." He pointed out with a nod.

"I know." He nodded back. "But I just want to make sure you know how much what you've done for me means to me."

"Well when you're a huge rich success then I'll know how much it meant." He smirked at him.

"No it's not just that." He sighed deeply. "It's everything. No one has ever been so kind and caring towards me aside from my dad of course. Thank you." He stared wide eyed at him before he leaned up and planted a quick kiss on his lips.

Naraku's eyes snapped wide. "That wasn't necessary." He whispered.

"Yes it was." He whispered back. "See." He pointed out then leaned in and pressed his lips to his a second time.

Whatever God was in heaven couldn't keep testing him like this he was only human after all. How was he suppose to deny something or more precisely someone so damn tempting? It was taking every ounce of willpower he had in him to not grab the boy up and have his way with him.

He pulled back and stared at the boy. "Sesshoumaru stop."

"No." He shook his head lightly before cupping his face with his hands and pulling him back down to press their lips together.

He didn't know if he was dreaming or not but either way his will to fight this was quickly weakening especially with the way the boy was sucking on his lip. He tried to pulled away but Sesshoumaru held tight to him refusing to let go. "Stop." He ordered or tried to anyway only to have the boy slip his tongue into his mouth. As soon as his tongue curled around his own he was done.

He wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him tight against his chest causing him to bend back a little due to the height difference. He easily took over the kiss pressing it into the boy's mouth searing the taste and feel of him into memory. For so long he had dreamed of doing this or was he dreaming now? Either way the boy tasted a good as he always thought he would.

Sesshoumaru pulled back and stared into his glassy eyes. "I know we shouldn't but it feels too right not to."

"It's wrong." Naraku whispered but refused to let him go. "You're a minor and I could go to prison."

"I'll never tell or hold it against you." He planted a tender kiss against his lips. "Plus in this state I'm at the age of consent." He smirked at him. "Remember I turned sixteen over a week ago."

"Yes I remember." He nodded. "But even still it's too risky to my status." He sighed deeply and released his hold upon him.

"Only if anyone ever finds out." Sesshoumaru nodded with a shrug. "I'm not going to tell and I know you wouldn't."

"Not now but who can say what the future will hold." He shook his head. "Can you say with one hundred percent certainty that you will never try to hold it over my head and use it against me."

"Yes." He nodded in all seriousness. "I'm not now nor will I ever be that petty." He narrowed his ambers to deadly little slits. "I may be young but I'm not stupid."

"I never said you were." He jabbed his fingers through his hair. "The issue is what could happen to both of us just from kissing each other."

"I don't want to just kiss you."

And there it was finally all out there on the table before both of them and this wasn't some fantasy he was having. This was real life with real life consequences. "We can't." He shook his head. "No matter how much either of us wants it we just can't. The price," he pointed out with a nod. "is just too high to risk. Prison and a lifetime of being a registered sex offender for me. A foster home and years of forced therapy for you." He stared at him. "Is that something you're willing to risk just for some thrill with me?"

Deep ambers narrowed to thin little slits as an angry scowl marred his brow. "I don't want some thrill or fling or whatever with you. I want total commitment."

Naraku's eyes widened hugely at that. "That's a little extreme for only knowing someone for such a short time."

"Short time?" He drew his brows even further. "I've known you for about half a year now and out of all those months nearly four of them have been spent living with you. I would hardly call that a short time."

"Perhaps." He agreed then redirected the subject elsewhere. "But why now all of a sudden?"

"Because I know you've been attracted to me for a long time and I like you." He answered and stared down at his feet. "I've liked you for a while now actually since about the time I started working for you."

"How did you know?" He whispered and slowly sat down into his chair.

Sesshoumaru looked at him and smirked. "You talk in your sleep." He nodded knowingly. "That's one of the reasons I always want to be in bed with you." He again nodded at him. "I mean you don't do it every night only when you've worked long hours and are really tired."

He talked in his sleep? Why didn't anyone ever tell him that? Then again who was ever around to tell him he was a sleep talker? This was almost like finding out you had a long lost twin you never knew about.

He pressed the base of his palms to his eyes and rubbed them trying to wake himself up from this nightmare. However when he pulled his hands away Sesshoumaru was still standing there with that damn knowing smirk on his face. "Son of a..." He muttered.

"It's not so bad." Sesshoumaru tired to comfort.

"Not so bad?" He questioned aghast.

"Yes." He nodded seriously. "It's only as bad as you make it. No one knows about anything we do and everything looks like it always has since you took me as your own. I mean no one knows I sleep in your bed. As long as we continue to act normal everything will be fine."

"That's so easy to say." He glared at him.

"And easy to do." He nodded curtly. "If you start acting weird around me and about me then everyone will know something is up." He pointed out knowingly. "However if you just act normal everything will be fine."

He rubbed a tired hand across his face. "Yes we'll act normal because nothing is going to change. This was a one time thing," his eyes narrowed threateningly. "end of story." He narrowed his eyes even further when he opened his mouth to respond to that.

"Just because you say it doesn't make it so." He glared at him.

"Actually it does especially since I'm the adult here and you are under my care."

"So if I wasn't under your care it would be different?" He arched a brow at him.

"No." He scowled.

Sesshoumaru pressed his lips together tightly as he stared at him. "Are you saying we have to wait until I'm eighteen; is that what you're saying?"

Naraku stared at him not really sure how to answer that. Would he really be willing to wait two years for the boy? Could he wait that long? Actually more to the point would he be able to resist the boy especially now that their feelings for each other were out in the open? Knowing Sesshoumaru as he did he knew without a doubt that the boy wasn't going to let it go. So how was he suppose to fight this war? Oh if only he could go back in time and stop his mother from ever poising him so he would never have met him.

He sighed deeply, placed his elbows on his desk, and buried his face into his palms. "I don't know. This is a precarious situation between us and," he looked up at him. "even the slightest issue will make it easy for them to take you away. I only have guardianship over you not custody."

"Then get custody of me." He pointed out seriously. "And do it before my mom decides she's my rightful owner."

"You're not a piece of property." He scowled at him.

"Not to you but to her I might be." He nodded. "Alright," he sighed. "we'll just leave things between you and me as they are for now and see what happens later." He relented knowing full well he wasn't going to leave anything the way it was. Now that he knew Naraku's true feelings towards him he wasn't going to stop until Naraku was his and his alone.


	22. Chapter 22

"Alright are you ready for the most painful evening of your life?"

Sesshoumaru looked over at the doctor and narrowed his ambers deeply. "If this is such a pain why bother? Friends shouldn't be this much work."

"Ah yes," Naraku agreed. "however it's as much about business as it is about friendship."

"Then you should find new business friends who don't have such high expectations to maintain your business slash personal friendships." He nodded at him.

"Oh and what do you know about friendships?" He arched a dark brow at him. "You have no friends to speak of beyond Kohaku and really can you claim him as a friend?"

Sesshoumaru glared deadly at him. "I know enough and what I do know is exactly why I don't have any friends."

"Oh what a lonely world you must live in." Naraku snorted.

"It's not." Sesshoumaru smirked at him as he opened the door to get out. "I have you and for now that's enough." He then got out of the car and closed the door before he could respond to that.

Naraku got out of the car and shook his head. "You are a strange kid." He smirked knowing that was going to piss the boy off.

"I am not a kid!" He hissed as he followed him to the door. "You know I don't like you calling me that."

"Well you certainly aren't an adult." He countered.

"You know my name use that." He huffed then knocked on the door before Naraku could say another word.

Naraku opened his mouth to respond to that but closed it when the door opened.

"You're early." Saïx nodded curtly.

"Well if you want we can leave and come back late." Naraku snorted.

"Your sense of humor never ceases to annoy me." Saïx growled then stepped aside to let them in.

"I know how you feel." Sesshoumaru nodded at the blue haired man as he entered the house.

Saïx smirked at the doctor. "It seems I'm not the only one in the world that sees you for the mundane physician you are."

"Oh ho… look who's trying to be funny now." Naraku grunted as he too entered the house.

Sesshoumaru smirked at him. "I thought it was funny."

"Of course you did," he grumbled as he removed his jacket and hung it on the coat rack. "simple minds do tend to think alike." He smirked then quickly walked off before the two scowling males could respond to that.

"You are going to regret that." Sesshoumaru mumbled as he too took off his jacket.

"I agree." Saïx nodded and closed the door. "I take it you're Xemnas' new interest."

Sesshoumaru stared at the blue haired male. "I have no interest in Xemnas." He wrinkled his nose. "He irritates me."

Saïx narrowed his eyes upon the boy. "I didn't mean in that manner. I meant the new student he had to overrule the committee for."

"Oh." Sesshoumaru nodded. "Yes that would be me."

"You seem much too young for college." He nodded and waved a hand towards the living room.

Sesshoumaru shrugged as he turned to enter the indicated room after hanging up his coat. "What can I say; I'm a genius."

Naraku snorted from his position on the couch with a glass of brandy in his hand. "Only in your own head."

"Ha ha, you're so funny I forgot to laugh." Sesshoumaru settled down next to him.

"And that comeback is older than the big bang." He nodded at him.

"Would you like something to drink?" Xemnas questioned from the sofa across from them.

"Tea will be fine." Naraku nodded. "And the boy will have a glass of milk."

"I'm old enough to have something stronger than milk." Sesshoumaru bit out.

"Like what?" Naraku questioned with an arched brow.

"Like root beer or something." He looked at Xemnas. "Or something." He nodded.

"Something." Xemnas repeated and looked over at Saïx.

"Something." Saïx snorted then went into the kitchen.

"How have you been doing in school?" Xemnas questioned as he stared at the silver haired boy.

That caused Naraku to snort; drawing all eyes to him.

"What?" Sesshoumaru questioned suspiciously.

"The boy is," he grunted as he stared at Xemnas. "so far at the top of his class and he lets me know about it every chance he gets."

"Don't be jealous because you're not as smart as me." Sesshoumaru glared at him. "You didn't believe me when I said my classes were easy and now look I'm already top of my class."

Naraku rolled his eyes and shook his head. "See."

"I do." Xemnas nodded and looked over at Saïx when he exited the kitchen.

"Do what?" Saïx placed the tray with the drinks on it on the coffee table.

"Oh he just sees how cocky the younger generation is." Naraku grunted with a pat to Sesshoumaru's knee.

"Not as much so as doctors." Sesshoumaru countered and slapped his hand away. "Doctors especially one in particular," he cast a glare over a Naraku. "all think they're just the greatest thing to ever exist."

"I have to agree with that." Saïx nodded as he sat down in the high back living room chair cornered to the two sofas. "Naraku does tend to think he's the best."

"Just remember you said that the next time you come running to me for anything that ails you." He glared. "I might just as soon poison you instead."

Saïx glared back at him. "Then I believe it's time to seek out a new physician."

"You do that." Naraku rolled his eyes having heard that same thing out of him a million times before. "And when they refuse to see you any longer because of your _wonderful_ disposition don't come running to me."

Saïx just huffed but didn't respond Naraku was baiting him and he was once again falling for it; like always.

xx

Sesshoumaru looked over at Saïx from the corner of his eye as he helped him clean the dishes. "So how long have you and Xemnas been together?"

"Five years."

"So why don't you leave him then?" He questioned easily figuring they weren't happy together based on Saïx's tone when he answered amongst other things he noticed.

Saïx stared at him with brows drawn just the slightest. "What do you mean leave him? Why would I leave him after all this time?"

Sesshoumaru put the last dish in the dishwasher and closed it before turning to look at him. "Look it's obvious you two aren't happy together. I mean," he waved his hand through the air. "you two don't look at each other even when talking. You don't sit by him, there's an edge in both your voices when you talk to each other, and I saw you glaring at his back when he wasn't looking. Unhappy." He nodded curtly.

"We're just having some problems right now." He dismissed.

"Right." Sesshoumaru snorted with an internal eye roll. "So how long have you two been cheating on each other?"

"We are not cheating on each other." Saïx growled. "And my relationship with Xemnas is no business of yours."

Sesshoumaru sighed deeply through his nose. "Why are people like that?" He questioned irritably. "They're not happy in their relationship, they're cheating on their partner, and instead of ending it they hang on to hopelessness. That's just dumb, you should end it instead of hanging on to this sham of a relationship and go out and be happy."

"And what do you know about relationships?" Saïx growled.

"Enough to know that hanging on to something that makes you miserable is stupid." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Why be miserable? Why stay with someone who doesn't want to be with you as much as you don't want to be with them? Why not end it and go be with the person that makes you happy? I mean," he shook his head and sighed deeply. "what's here that's so good you have to hold onto it and be miserable?"

Saïx opened his mouth to respond to that but shut it when Naraku entered the kitchen.

"What are you talking about?" Naraku questioned accusingly as he stared at Sesshoumaru.

"Nothing important." Sesshoumaru shrugged. "I was just asking how long Saïx and Xemnas have been together."

"I bet." Naraku narrowed his eyes upon him. "Say goodbye we have to head out," he nodded at Saïx. "I have an early appointment tomorrow."

Sesshoumaru looked over at Saïx. "Thanks for dinner and everything."

Saïx inclined his head at the boy then looked at Naraku, cut his eyes to the side, and frowned.

"Alright." Naraku nodded. "Sesshoumaru go thank Xemnas for dinner and I'll be out in a moment."

"Alright." Sesshoumaru agreed knowingly and left the kitchen.

"What's on your mind?" Naraku stared at his blue haired friend seeing the troubled thoughts flashing through his amber eyes.

"I think it's time." He whispered.

Naraku sighed deeply and nodded. "Only if you're sure."

"I am." He nodded. "That boy made me realize that this has been going on long enough. We've been dancing around it for months and for what?"

"Nothing." Naraku answered.

"Nothing." He repeated.

Naraku sighed deeply and nodded at him. "So tonight or tomorrow?"

Saïx looked past him to the living room at Sesshoumaru talking to Xemnas. "Probably early in the morning if not sooner."

He placed his hand on his shoulder. "I'll have everything ready. You still have your key?"

Saïx nodded at him. "I do."

"Alright I'll see you soon then." Naraku gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"Thank you." He looked up at him.

"No problem that's what friends are for."

xx

"When we get home we're moving your stuff in the spare room into the garage." Naraku ordered as he backed the car out of the driveway.

Sesshoumaru drew his brows deeply. "Why?"

"Saïx is moving in for awhile. He'll be over tonight or first thing in the morning." He answered with a sigh. "I don't know what you said to him but whatever it is I'm glad you did."

"What do you mean? I mean I just told him that staying in a relationship where he wasn't happy was stupid." He nodded. "And that if they're both cheating on each other they have even less reason to stay together."

"Saïx isn't cheating." Naraku shook his head. "He never has been."

"Really?" Sesshoumaru questioned wide eyed. "I just figured they both were."

"What would give you the idea that either was cheating in the first place?"

"Seriously?" He snorted. "How did I get that scholarship in the first place?"

"I suppose." Naraku nodded. "Either way I'm just glad he's finally ending this ridiculous relationship."

Sesshoumaru drew his brows deeply getting a strange sense about Naraku and Saïx. "Are you happy he's leaving so you can pick up the pieces?" He questioned suspiciously.

"No." He shook his head. "Saïx has been my friend for a long long time and I just want what's best for him."

Somehow that didn't comfort him in the least. He was sure either Naraku and Saïx once upon a time had a relationship or were wanting one now. Something was very wrong with Saïx and Naraku's relationship and he was going to keep a close eye on both of them.

xx

Sesshoumaru shot straight up in bed when he heard the front door quietly close and footsteps through the house. He cast a quick glance at his clock and noted it to be two in the morning. "Saïx." He whispered to himself as he remembered Naraku saying Saïx was going to be coming to stay with them.

He didn't mind Saïx coming to stay with them for awhile but it did put a wrench in him trying to make Naraku his. Especially if there was potential that something could happen between Naraku and Saïx. Naraku was his now and forever and Saïx could just fuck off for all he cared.

He looked to his door when he heard quieted voices in the hallway and knew it to be Naraku. Quietly to make sure they didn't know he was up he moved to his door to listen to what was being said. He was going to find out exactly what the relationship between Naraku and Saïx was really about and make sure Naraku stayed his.


	23. Chapter 23

"Are you okay?" Naraku whispered as he met Saïx in the hallway.

Saïx sighed and nodded. "It's over, he didn't even deny it."

Naraku shook his head and draped his arm over his shoulders. "Do you want to go to bed or get a drink and talk about it?"

"A drink." Saïx nodded.

"Alright, let's put your stuff away and go get you something to take the edge off." He smiled at him. "Then you can tell me what happened."

He led Saïx to the spare room to put his stuff away then both headed to the kitchen where Naraku made them some drinks.

"White Russian." Saïx took a sip. "My favorite."

"No one knows you like I do." Naraku winked at him. "So how'd it go?"

Saïx sighed deeply and ran his finger around the rim of his glass. "I just asked him if he was cheating on me and he said yes." He shook his head. "He didn't even act bothered by it or like he even cared that he hurt me. He was completely emotionless to all of it."

"I knew he was an ass but to not care." Naraku scowled. "That's low even for him."

"I don't know what happened to us," he took a deep drink from his glass. "it felt so right for so long."

"It probably was." He took a sip from his own glass. "People change and sometimes the change isn't for the better."

Saïx looked up at him amber meeting dark brown intently. "I should have listened to you in the first place."

"Aw, but you were in love." Naraku grinned and shrugged at him. "Love makes us all fools in the beginning."

"Yes," he agreed. "but why did I have to be a fool for so long?" He shook his head and looked down at the table. "He felt like the one the moment I met him. Like it would be forever."

Naraku sighed deeply and downed the rest of his drink. "I need another."

Saïx followed suit and held his glass out to him. "So do I but don't you have an early appointment tomorrow?"

"Kage can handle it." He growled and grabbed the bottle of vodka pouring it straight into his glass followed by Saïx's. "You need me more and that's more important."

Saïx smiled at him and took his glass. "Thank you."

Naraku leaned down planted a quick kiss on his forehead. "No need to thank me I know you'd do the same for me."

"I would." He nodded and held his glass out to him. "Friends."

"Forever." Naraku clinked his glass to his then downed his drink at the same moment Saïx did.

xx

"And what has you so worked up today?" Naraku questioned when Sesshoumaru threw his backpack down onto the floor followed by sitting on the sofa and staring angrily at him.

"Nothing." He bit out.

"I beg to differ this is more than nothing." He wave his hand towards the backpack on the floor.

"You slept with him didn't you!" He got to his feet and pointed a sharp finger in Naraku's face. "Didn't you?!" He growled.

Naraku drew his brows deeply. "Slept with who?"

"Saïx that's who." He glared. "I saw you with him, sleeping on the couch, all curled up together."

"That doesn't mean we had sex and who I sleep with really isn't any of your business." He glared right back at him. "We decided you and I couldn't be because you're too young."

"Just because you say it doesn't make it so." He bit back. "Besides after everything you can't say it means nothing especially since you were fantasizing about me first!"

Naraku pinched the bridge of his nose. "Look first off there's nothing going on between Saïx and I. Like I told you we're friends and have been for a long long time now. Secondly as for you and I there's nothing going on there either. You're too young and I'm not about to jeopardize my entire career to be with you like you want."

"So you don't care about me at all?" He frowned. "Is that what you're saying?"

"No that's not what I'm saying at all." He sighed deeply and leaned against his desk. "Look Sesshoumaru we both know how we feel about each other but you being sixteen is exactly why we cannot be together right now. Maybe in a year things will be different but not now."

Sesshoumaru scowled at that as he stared at the floor. Naraku had been hung up on his age and he should have known it was going to come down to that. Yet either way that wasn't the point the point was what was the deal with him and Saïx?

"So fine we can't be together now." He bit out knowing that just because Naraku said that that didn't make it so. "Then what's going on with you and Saïx? I have a right to know."

He wasn't in the mood for this his headache from the night before was still thrumming behind his eyes and Sesshoumaru wasn't helping it at all. Plus he had a patient he had to get to. "Look Saïx and I aren't together now, we haven't been together since college. There satisfied?" He grabbed the folder off his desk after giving the boy a deadly glare. "Now I have to get back to my patients and you have to get to Hapkido."

"I don't have Hapkido today." He whispered in shock. He couldn't believe it Saïx and Naraku were together at one point in time and he didn't tell him? If they were together then how hard would it be for them to get together now? He felt sick and just wanted to go home.

"If you don't have Hapkido today then that means you're here to work." He stared at him watching as he stared at the floor looking a little sick and pale.

"No, I'm going home." He snatched his backpack up and left the office as quickly as he could before Naraku could stop him.

"Blast it!" Naraku cursed to himself with a jab of his fingers through his hair. He didn't think raising a teenager would be this much work or this damn difficult. If he didn't have patients to get to he'd go after him but priorities were priorities and he'd see Sesshoumaru at home. "Probably in the middle of a damn confetti party." He muttered to himself as he exited his office.

xx

Naraku walked into the house to a living room full of boxes and shook his head. "Saïx?" He didn't receive an answer so he headed down the hall to the spare room. "Saïx?" He questioned again but found he wasn't there either. He could only figure Saïx was out either getting the rest of his stuff or looking for a storage unit somewhere.

So with that sorted out he made his way to Sesshoumaru's room and opened the door. Upon looking into the room he sighed irritably and jabbed his fingers through his hair. Sesshoumaru was in the middle of a serious confetti party and it looked to be nearly as bad as the one he had when his father died.

Navy blue and black pieces of paper were all over his bed and floor while he stared blankly at the far wall. He thought he finally had this little tic of his stamped out seeing as how he hadn't done this since his father's death. Though that wasn't very long ago; but still the boy seemed fine and was acting normal if one could define any part of Sesshoumaru as normal.

Maybe it was time to consider therapy so he could work through whatever made him behave the way he did when upset. Though it was usually pretty obvious what it was that made him upset and in this case he knew exactly what it was.

He moved over to the bed and sat down on the edge then took the paper from his hands forcing him to look at him. "Now look," he tossed the paper to the floor when Sesshoumaru reached for it. "you are making a big issue out of nothing."

"My feelings aren't nothing." He answered quietly as he grabbed the stack of construction paper off his night stand.

"I didn't say that." He grabbed the stack a paper from him and tossed that to the floor as well. "I said you're making big issue out of something that's not an issue." He sighed deeply. "Yes I had a relationship with Saïx in college. Yes we're still close. No I didn't have sex with him nor do I intend to any time in the future. Our relationship didn't last because we felt more like we were related like siblings instead of lovers."

"But last night." He frowned.

"We had too much to drink and passed out on the couch together." He scowled not at all liking that he had to justify himself and his friendships. "I don't really see how it's any concern of yours what I do and who I do it with."

"It's not." He answered and turned away from him. "I know my place, you've made it very clear." He slid down under the covers and pulled them up over his head. "Don't worry I will never bring up anything between us again."

He jerked the blankets back off him. "What is this about?" He demanded getting more irritated by the second.

Sesshoumaru stared up at him. "I love you."

Dark eyes widened. "You can't." He whispered in shock.

"I do." He turned back to face him fully. "That's why, that's why I do everything I do."

Naraku slumped down atop him and buried his face into his neck. "You can't do this to me." He whispered against his neck. "I can't give you what you want."

"Why?" He whispered as he wrapped his arms around him. "Why can't you love me?"

"I do." He snorted and fisted his fingers into the boy's shirt. "Damn me to hell but I do."

Sesshoumaru just held him even as Naraku gripped him tighter against him. He didn't know how to respond to that. All this time he thought Naraku was just attracted to him and he was going to have to work to get him to someday love him. It was a shock to find out that he already loved him.

"I want to give you everything you want but I can't. You have to understand."

He did understand but didn't think it was that important. However he loved Naraku enough that if Naraku really wanted he would suck it up and wait. Besides it was enough for now to know that Naraku loved him back and that was something he could hold onto.

"I do understand." He nodded. "I'll wait." He decided determinedly. "For you I'll wait."

"Thank you." Naraku whispered and kissed his neck.

Sesshoumaru smiled lightly happy to at least know Naraku was his and would be in every way eventually. In the meantime however now that he didn't have to worry about Naraku he could get back to making Koga pay. He was going to make him suffer like no other has suffered before for killing his dad and taking him away from him.

He had a plan and it was going to take some time to put this plan into play and he'd have to do it without Naraku knowing anything. He'd have to watch every little thing he said and did until everything came together just the way he wanted it to.

"But that doesn't mean I won't play with you a little when no one is looking." He smirked over his shoulder.

Naraku grunted at that. "I wouldn't expect you to." He pulled back so he could stare at him. "I'll tell you no, you'll get mad, throw your fit, and argue with me about it. That's what makes you you and what caught my interest in the first place. You just being you."

Sesshoumaru smiled up at him and palmed his face. "Thank you."

"You're thanking me again." He pointed out with a small nod against his hold.

"But not for taking care of me." He leaned in closer to him.

"Then for what." Naraku whispered as he too leaned in until their lips were almost touching.

"For liking me for who I am."

"How could I not. You're perfect just as you are." He closed the small distance between them pressing their lips together. A kiss here or there wasn't going to hurt or at least that's what he told himself because there was no way he could completely deny himself the boy. Splurges every now and again were very therapeutic to suppress urges especially when what he wanted was so tantalizing


	24. Chapter 24

"You have a lot of nerve showing up here." Sesshoumaru glared at the man before him.

"Hey," Koga waved his hands out in front of him defensively. "I just came to apologize about your dad."

"What for killing him?"

Koga stared wide eyed at him. "I didn't kill your dad. He fell off the building."

Deep ambers narrowed. "With help from you." He accused. "Don't play dumb with me I know you pushed him."

"I swear I didn't." He shook his head.

"Yea right," he crossed his arms over his chest. "just like you didn't threaten to hurt him if I told him what you did to me."

Koga sighed and shook his head. "Man I didn't mean that. It was an empty threat so you wouldn't say anything."

"So empty that after my dad found out he ends up dead." He growled deadly. "How convenient for you. Plus the cops know he was pushed and you were the only person seen with him right before you pushed him."

"It's not like that." He frowned. "I mean yea I was with him but I didn't push him."

"Oh then who did? The invisible man?" He questioned sarcastically. "You know it was you and I know it was you."

"Then why didn't you tell the cops if you're so sure it was me?"

Sesshoumaru glared deadly at him. "Because they won't make you pay like I will." He whispered coldly. "And you can bet you are going to pay."

"You're just a kid you can't do anything to me." He snorted. "You just like the cops can't prove anything."

"I don't need to prove anything." Sesshoumaru glared at him. "I know it was you and that's enough. Now leave I'm sick of looking at your ugly face."

Koga snorted at that. "You didn't think my face was so ugly when you were in my bed."

Sesshoumaru's eyes hardened. "The biggest mistake I ever made." He bit out. "Now…"

"What's going on here?" Naraku questioned as he exited the doctor's office.

"Nothing," Sesshoumaru answered without taking his eyes off the male in front of him. "this man is just asking directions and now that he has them he was leaving." He narrowed his ambers further. "Weren't you?"

"Yea yea whatever." Koga snorted. "I'll be seeing ya kid." He waved with a wink at him then walked off.

"Sesshoumaru who was that?" Naraku questioned suspiciously.

"No one important." He bit out as he turned to look at him. "Just some guy I barely knew from school." He lied.

"Well that didn't seem very friendly." Naraku pointed out suspiciously as he stared at the boy.

Sesshoumaru huffed. "Of course it wasn't he was the class bully after all." He opened the door to the office. "When is a class bully ever nice?"

"I suppose." Naraku rubbed his chin thoughtfully but still had the sense he was missing something with that whole interaction. "Well let's get to work then." He nodded and grabbed the door so Sesshoumaru could enter.

"I'm not here to work today." Sesshoumaru shook his head as he walked in heading for Naraku's office.

Naraku sighed as he followed behind him. He was pretty sure Sesshoumaru was never going to actually work in the office again. "Then why are you here?"

"Driver's ed starts today and you have to take me so you can sign the papers and all that stuff."

"That was today?" Naraku drew his brows.

Sesshoumaru turned around and scowled at him. "How could you forget? You're the one that scheduled it."

"Correction, Kohaku scheduled it." He nodded with a shrug.

"It's still your schedule so you should know what's you're supposed to be doing every day."

Naraku just shrugged at him. "I just usually wait for Kohaku to tell me what's going on."

"Then he should have told you by now." He looked over at said receptionist. "Kohaku what is Naraku's schedule today?"

"Finishing up patients folders for the next hour then checking out to take Sesshoumaru to driver's ed." He answered as he typed away on the keyboard. "After that he will return here for an appointment with Luxord La Vache followed by calling Jak to tell him his vacation was over two days ago. Once that is taken care of he will call Kei and tell him that he can't take his vacation while he is at the conference. Then last but not least he will tell me why Kanna hasn't been to work for the last week leaving me to deal with everything in this office." He bit out.

"You'll need to talk to Kage about Kanna." Naraku shrugged. "As you know Kanna works for him not me just as you work for me not Kage. We just share you two."

Kohaku frowned at that. "I don't care who works for who just as long as the people who work here are here working." He huffed and snatched the phone off the receiver when it started ringing.

"The life of an office manager." Naraku smirked at the boy next to him.

"I believe he's going to stick it to you one of these days." Sesshoumaru snorted then headed for Naraku's office.

"He wouldn't." Naraku shook his head. "My office would fall apart without him."

"And he knows that I'm sure." He looked up at him.

"Naraku you better have those files done before you leave." Kohaku ordered through the intercom as they entered his office.

Naraku sighed and moved to sit at his desk. "Yes yes." He answered under his breath. "Bossy bossy bossy."

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes at him as he sat down on the couch and got out his homework. He watched Naraku get to work finishing his files as he flipped though his botany book. "Naraku?"

"Hmm?" They physician answered absently as he read over the paper in his hand.

"I was thinking about my mom when she poisoned me and was wondering something."

Naraku looked up at him with brows drawn. "What and why would you be thinking of that?"

"Because in my botany class we were talking about plant metals." He nodded. "So I was wondering; how many other poisons and metals doctors don't check for when someone comes to them chronically sick?"

"Quite a few actually." Naraku nodded. "It's such a rare occurrence that when people come in poisoned with metals such as you were no one thinks about it."

"But what about poisonings?"

"Well usually it's mostly when kids come in sick because they got into something they shouldn't have." He looked at him and nodded. "Why are you asking?"

Sesshoumaru just shrugged. "Well I wonder how many people out there have died because of a poison or something no one looked for. I mean if it wasn't for you I could just as easily be dead and no one would have known why. So then you think about all those people who died of unknown causes suddenly and you kind of wonder if they were poisoned or something."

"True," Naraku nodded. "but the medical examiner does send for a toxicology report to see if there was any drugs or poisons involved."

"Yes but only the common ones; right?"

Naraku sighed and nodded. "Yes they only ask for poison checks if something isn't normal such as you." He pointed out. "Now say you died he would have noticed that your liver was swollen and would have had a sample sent to the lab and tested. They would separate all toxins in the sample to see which was the highest and would have found a high amount of iron. They would then run a few more tests on your blood to verify their findings then rule your death on what they found."

"But they don't always find the reason." He pointed out. "I mean they say people die a natural death and I've seen it in documentaries where people in their thirties, forties, fifties die a _natural_ death. What does that mean?"

"Well it means that they died of something like a disease, heart attack, an infection of some sort and so on." He shrugged. "Any death that wasn't caused by outside forces is usually considered a natural death." He eyed him suspiciously. "Now why are you asking about that? Are you thinking about murdering me or something?"

"Don't be stupid." He snorted. "Why would I murder you when I haven't even gone to bed with you yet?"

"Oh so you intend to murder me after I bed you then." He narrowed his eyes upon him.

"Well," he toyed with his hair as he stared at him thoughtfully. "it depends on how good you are. I mean if you're a terrible lover then I might have to do away with you."

"Well it's good that I still have a year to work on my skills." He rolled his eyes.

"You better not!" He glared at him. "Even though we can't do anything together we're still together. So that would be cheating on me and you can't cheat on me before we are actually together together."

Naraku stared at him with brows drawn. "What?"

Sesshoumaru sighed deeply like he was dealing with a simpleton. "Look we are dating secretly so therefore you and I are together. If you go hone," he glared at him. "your skills with anyone that means you are cheating on me."

"Secretly dating?" Naraku arched a brow at him. "Who said we were dating?"

"I did." He answered curtly. "I love you, you love me, and we agreed to wait a year. Therefore you are mine and no one else can have you. Especially that Saïx." He glared at him.

"I told you already Saïx and I aren't together now and we're not going to be together any time soon either." He nodded. "And what you do mean _that_ Saïx?"

"That Saïx." He answered. "Like _that_ man or _that_ woman just _that _ Saïx."

"You make him sound like a thing." He glared. "He's not a thing he is my friend, you know what friends are don't you? Wait, no you don't since you don't have any."

"I do so!" He argued. "As a matter of fact I saw her today."

Naraku arched a dark brow at that. "Oh and what is her name?"

"Kagome." He answered with a smirk. "We're going to meet up this weekend and hang out."

"Well until that happens I'm sticking with the belief that you don't have any friends."

"Yea well I'll show you." He glowered.

"I'm sure you will." Naraku snorted and went back to work.

xx

"Excuse you." Saïx glared at the blonde standing in the doorway.

Luxord stared down at the shorter man with a brow arched. "I had no idea you were on the other side of the door." He inclined his head in apology.

"Even still," Saïx growled. "you shouldn't go throwing doors open like that."

"Now that is not how this happened at all." He shook his head. "I opened the door just as you happened to be on the other side. Poor timing on which is the fault of fate's sense of humor."

Deep ambers narrowed. "That is the most idiotic thing I have ever heard."

Luxord stared at him. "Are you here to see a doctor for stress? You seem awfully high strung for no apparent reason."

"That is none of your…" He trailed off when Naraku appeared behind the blonde man.

"I thought I heard you out here." Naraku shook his head.

"Yes it seems he's here about high blood pressure." Luxord looked at the doctor.

Saïx glared at him as he gnashed his teeth together.

"Now look," Naraku looked at Luxord. "you're getting him all worked up and I would appreciate it if you didn't harass my friend here."

"Harass?" Luxord stared at him aghast. "Me?"

"Yes you." Naraku snorted. "Now if you don't mind I have a lot to do today and I can't stand here playing mediator for you two all afternoon." He gave Luxord a squeeze to his shoulder. "I'll see you this weekend at the house."

"Very well." Luxord nodded at him and looked at Saïx. "Good afternoon and hope your day gets better."

"Bye." Saïx bit out and stormed past the two men for Naraku's office.

"Spunky." Luxord grinned at Naraku.

"You have no idea." Naraku shook his head. "But if you think he's feisty can't wait for you to meet Sesshoumaru."

"From what I've heard neither can I." Luxord grinned. "Well, see you later mate."

Naraku gave him a nod then headed for his office to see what had Saïx all bent out of shape this time. Between Saïx and Sesshoumaru he was sure he should win the patient man of the year award.


	25. Chapter 25

Between Saïx and Sesshoumaru he was sure he should win the patient man of the century award. For the last ten minutes Saïx had been pacing his office cursing Xemnas to hell and back several times over.

"Are you telling me he moved his new boyfriend in?" He brought him to a stop before he wore a path into his carpet.

Saïx glared at nothing in particular. "He moved him in the very next day." He bit out. "Not twenty-four hours had passed and he already had that prissy French boy moved in."

Naraku just stared at him wide eyed. He knew Xemnas was callous but to move his lover in that fast was by far the most heartless thing he could do to Saïx. "I can't believe it." He shook his head. "All I can say is you're better off."

"Even still." He frowned as he sat down on the couch. "It's like I never mattered to him at all."

"I'm sure at some point you mattered." Naraku pointed out. "Otherwise why put so many years into the relationship?"

Saïx sighed deeply and shook his head. "I don't know but," he looked up at him. "I should have listened to you way back when you said dating him was a bad idea."

"You were in love." He smirked at him. "Who thinks logically when they're in love?"

"No one." Saïx snorted.

"Exac…" Naraku started but trailed off when Kohaku's voice came through the intercom.

"Naraku did you forget something?" Kohaku questioned irritably.

Naraku drew his brows and pressed the button to answer. "Not that I'm aware of, no."

"Then maybe you would care to explain why I have Sesshoumaru on the other line wanting to know where his ride home is?"

"Damn!" Naraku jabbed his fingers through his hair. "I completely forgot." He pressed the button on the intercom. "Tell him I'm on my way."

"Naraku." Saïx stood up and watched as the doctor gathered his things.

"What?"

"Why do you have that boy?" Saïx questioned bringing Naraku to a halt.

Naraku sighed deeply as he stared at his long time friend. "It's… complicated." He nodded. "It almost seems as if from the moment he walked into my office that first time we were going to be intertwined with each other. Little did I know it was going to end with me getting custody of him."

"You have custody of him?" Ambers widened as he stared at him.

"Not full custody yet." He grabbed his car keys. "That's why Luxord was here, my attorney, he's going to file the papers so I can get full custody."

"You mean that annoying man that I met in the doorway?" He scowled.

"One in the same." Naraku smirked and had the passing thought that Luxord and Saïx would be perfect for each other. He'd have to consider that once Saïx was past the initial breakup and following rebound stage. "Well I have to get out of here and go get Sesshoumaru, I'll see you at home and explain the whole Sesshoumaru situation to you later."

"Alright." Saïx nodded at him. "I'll grab dinner on the way."

"Sounds good." Naraku smiled at him then exited the office to go get Sesshoumaru before the boy completely freaked out.

xx

"And who do we have here?"

"This is Kagome, Kagome, Naraku." Sesshoumaru introduced. "Told you she was real."

"So you did." Naraku smirked and looked at the girl. "It's a pleasure to finally meet a friend of Sesshoumaru's."

"Hi." Kagome nodded at him.

"So what are you two kids going to do today?" Naraku questioned as he looked between the two. "Play house?"

"We're not ten." Sesshoumaru bit out. "And again only you think you're funny so stop trying to be."

"Well what do kids your age do then?"

"Kids our age?" Sesshoumaru narrowed his ambers deeply. "Quit talking to us like we're little kids. What is wrong with you?"

Naraku crossed his arms over his chest. "And exactly how am I to address the two of you?"

"How about _the two of you_." Sesshoumaru suggested with a glare.

"Or by our names." Kagome suggested as she smiled at him.

"Alright." Naraku agreed. "So again what are you TWO going to do today?"

"Why?" Sesshoumaru questioned suspiciously.

"Because you need to be nearby today." Naraku nodded at him. "My attorney is coming and he may need to speak with you."

Sesshoumaru drew his brows at that. "Your attorney? What do you need an attorney for and why would he want to talk to me?"

"First off all doctors with any sense about them have an attorney." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Secondly this is about custody of you."

"Really?" Sesshoumaru eyes widened. "You're actually going to do it?"

"Unless you rather I didn't." He arched a dark brow at him.

"No." He shook his head. "I feel better knowing that you're going to do it. I don't know why but I feel like my mom is going to show up one of these days."

"And go to jail." Naraku nodded curtly at him. "Which makes me wish she would. I have a few bloody things to say to her."

Sesshoumaru smiled at that. "Me too."

"Naraku!" Saïx suddenly bit out from the kitchen . "That man is here, he just pulled into the drive."

"Does he like anyone besides you?" Sesshoumaru questioned with an arched brow.

"No." Naraku shook his head and sighed. "Though I think with some creative maneuvering I could convince him to like Luxord and visa versa."

"Match making never works out well." Sesshoumaru shook his head.

"Oh and you know do you?" Naraku questioned as he smirked at him.

"No not really." He shrugged and dismissed it. "Well unless you need me we'll be in my room." Sesshoumaru nodded and nudged Kagome. "And good luck with your match making."

"I'm sure I will, Luxord will want to meet you even if he doesn't need anything from you." He turned to the door when the bell rang.

"Then I'll meet him now and be done with it."

Naraku shrugged at that and opened the door. "You're early."

"Well if you want I can leave and come back late." Luxord answered sarcastically.

"That's where you got that from." Saïx growled from living room.

Naraku stepped back so Luxord could enter and looked at Saïx. "Correction he got it from me."

"Either way it's ridiculous." Saïx growled and glared at the attorney.

"Do you always bring your patients home with you?" Luxord looked at Naraku.

Naraku snorted at that. "No he lives here for the time being and this here is Sesshoumaru and his little friend Kagome."

"I told you to quit talking to us like we're ten." Sesshoumaru hissed.

"Everyone is hormonal today so do like I do and just smile and nod a lot." Naraku smirked at the attorney.

"I hate you." Sesshoumaru hissed then turned and stormed to his room with Kagome following close behind.

"I agree." Saïx nodded then turned and went back into the kitchen.

Luxord shook his head as he moved to the couch. "I pity you mate."

"It's not that bad." Naraku shrugged as he sat down next to him. "It makes for some pretty interesting days." He smiled and looked over at Saïx milling around the kitchen doing who knew what which probably consisted of poisoning his food.

Luxord looked to where he was looking. "He's an interesting fellow and rather feisty."

"You have no idea." Naraku chuckled and watched Luxord stare at his long time friend. Oh yea he was definitely going to hook the two of them up.

xx

"I'm really sorry about your dad." Kagome frowned.

Sesshoumaru frowned as well and nodded. "Thanks."

"Do they know who did it? I mean I know they think Koga did but there's no way he could have." She scowled down at her lap. "Sure he comes across as kind of a jerk but he's not the kind to kill someone."

Sesshoumaru bit down his irritation at that. He knew without a doubt Koga killed his father and Kagome was only defending him because they were engaged. "I don't know who did it I only know what they tell me which isn't much." He frowned even more. "All I know is Koga was the last person seen with my dad. Does that mean he did it? I don't know nor does anyone else. Until the investigation is over we won't know what happened."

"Well I hope they find out what really happened." Kagome sighed sadly. "It's been so hard for us since that day." She looked up at Sesshoumaru wide eyed. "I mean not that's it hasn't been worse for you or anything. I just want this all sorted out so we can all move forward from this."

Sesshoumaru had to bite his tongue to keep from lashing out at her. How dare she act like they were suffering as much as he was. He's the one that lost his father who he will never get back. They're just being put out by the police checking into their lives. Eventually they will stop looking and they'll have their lives back but not him. The rest of his life will be spent without his father in it at least they would still have each other.

"So do I." He agreed doing his level best to keep the irritation out of his voice and to sound agreeable. It wouldn't do him any good to send Kagome running. He needed her in order to get his plan in place to make Koga suffer for killing his dad.

"So what's with you and that doctor?" Kagome questioned with brows drawn. "And why is he trying to get custody of you? Shouldn't you be trying to find your mom instead?"

Sesshoumaru sighed deeply and shook his head. "My mom is the one that poisoned me and Naraku is the one that found out I was being poisoned."

"Oh," Kagome' eyes widened. "I'm so sorry. Why would your mom what to hurt you like that?"

"To hurt my dad I guess." He frowned and looked down at his lap. "You know what," he looked back up at her. "can we not talk about this? It's still kind of a sore spot."

"No problem." Kagome nodded. "Sorry to bring it up but what about that doctor? Why are you living with him and why is he trying to get custody of you?"

Sesshoumaru sighed and told her the short version of his relationship with Naraku and getting into school. "So now he's trying to get full custody of me in case my mom tries to get me back."

Kagome frowned. "Wow I can't believe a mother would do that to her child." He shook his head. "I hope Naraku gets custody of you, I mean as long as you're happy with him." She nodded.

Sesshoumaru smiled in spite of himself and nodded. "I am happy with him. Very happy."

xx

"Well this might be a little difficult with a police investigation going on into the death of the boy's father." Luxord sighed. "Even though you can prove you weren't the direct cause of his death this could be seen as suspicious."

"So what are you saying then?" Naraku scowled. "That I should just leave it as it is and hope his mother doesn't show up and try to take him away?"

"No." Luxord shook his head. "All I'm saying is that it could complicate this a bit with a bunch of questions that will need proven answers."

"Well I'll answer those questions when they come." Naraku nodded . "I know what questions are going to be asked and the counter questions is what do I have to gain from all of this?" He sighed deeply and jabbed his fingers though his hair. "His father was so in debt that after selling the house and using the money to cover his bills he still owed. Sesshoumaru didn't get a dime from it and Toga didn't have any life insurance or anything. As it stands now Sesshoumaru is in debt for his father probably for the rest of his life."

Luxord looked at him. "Well with some creative maneuvering I should be able to remove most if not all of those bills by him being a minor and in turn pass them onto his mother."

"If you can let's do it." Naraku nodded.

"Alright." Luxord nodded and scribbled some notes down onto his notepad. "I'll need all the paperwork you have pertaining to all creditors so I can get cease and desists notices sent out. Until we can get a judgment on ownership of debt."

"I have them for you by mid next week." Naraku made a note for himself to remember.

"And what about his schooling?"

"That's covered by his scholarship." Naraku nodded. "I have the legal financial responsibility for that."

"That's how you got that scholarship." Saïx suddenly accused. "You knew he was cheating on me and you never said anything to me!"

Naraku looked over at Saïx and shook his head. "I most certainly did not. No, I got the scholarship not because he was cheating but because he was selling your seat on the board. Which you knew about but he didn't know you knew so I just used it to my advantage." He arched a brow at him. "Remember I talked to you about it when you were in Romania?"

Saïx frowned and nodded.

"Now see there, I didn't know he was cheating and if I had I would have told you then." He nodded. "You know me better than that or at least I hope you do."

"I do." Saïx nodded. "I'm just still trying to get over all this and deal with the fact that I'm not as shocked about this as I should be."

"Well the best way to solve that is to get back on that horse and go again." Luxord suggested then leered at him. "You want to go for a ride?"

Saïx glared deadly at him. "Go fling yourself off a bridge." He bit out then stormed off towards his bedroom.

"I think he likes me." Luxord looked at Naraku.

Naraku just shook his head and chuckled. "If you think so."


	26. Chapter 26

"Sesshoumaru, are you packed yet?!" Naraku called from the living room.

"No!" Sesshoumaru yelled back. "And I'm telling you for the last time I'm not going!"

"Yes. You. Are." Naraku growled as he stormed down the hall towards the boy's room. "You can't stay here alone." He threw his door open.

"I won't be alone." He argued. "Saïx will be here so I don't need to go."

Naraku narrowed his eyes upon the boy. "Correct me if I'm wrong but weren't you the one insisting I take you with me?"

Sesshoumaru just shrugged at him. "That was mostly because I didn't want to be alone in case my mom showed up." He nodded. "But with someone here I don't see why I should have to go."

"Because I said you are going." He ordered. "Now get your stuff together before I do it for you and physically drag you out of this house." He glared at him. "You have one hour." With that he stormed out of Sesshoumaru's room to go and finish getting ready himself.

Sesshoumaru walked over to the door and glared down the hall towards Naraku's room. "I can't go I'm telling you! I have too much school work and I can't afford to miss a single day!"

"I don't care!" Came the quick response. "Get packed before I come in there and do it for you!"

"No!" He yelled and slammed his door shut.

Naraku gnashed his teeth together as he made his way back to Sesshoumaru's room once again throwing the door open. "This isn't up for debate." He bit out as Sesshoumaru glared at him.

"Why is me going more important than me going to school?" He questioned irritably.

"Because Saïx isn't going to babysit you while I'm gone and," he narrowed his eyes even further when the boy opened his mouth to argue that point. "because I said so that's why. Now get packed and I'm done arguing this with you. You're going, end of story."

"Fine!" He bit out with a glare.

"Good." Naraku nodded curtly and turned to leave the room but stopped at the threshold. "And don't even think of stalling," he looked over his shoulder at him. "because I will haul you out of here with nothing but the clothes on your back. Understood?"

"Yes!" He hissed.

Naraku nodded curtly at him and left the room to finally finish getting ready to go.

xx

Sesshoumaru scowled as he stared out the window of the plane.

"You'll only miss school for two days." Naraku sighed irritably. "I don't see why this is such an issue with you."

"It's an issue," Sesshoumaru bit out with a glare at him. "because being stuck in a hotel room for three days is not my idea of a good time."

"You're not going to be stuck in the hotel room all the time." He pointed out. "You can hang out at the pool, go to the gym, and after I'm done with my daily conference duties we can go out to dinner or something."

"Fun." He snorted sarcastically.

Naraku sighed deeply and shook his head. "Look maybe I'll introduce you to some of the doctors that are experts in the field of plants and such."

Sesshoumaru looked over at him with brows drawn. "There are going to be natural healers there?"

"No." He shook his head. "They're normal doctors like myself but that doesn't mean they don't practice natural healing." He shrugged. "Sometimes natural cures are better than any medical prescription."

"Doesn't that go against the medical associations way of doing thing?" He questioned suspiciously.

"Not really." He shrugged. "But even it if does we doctors don't much care seeing as how we're more concerned with healing out patients than making money for the pharmaceutical companies."

"I didn't think doctors thought that way." He nodded. "After my experiences I'm pretty sure most if not all of _them_ are in it for the money not their patients."

Naraku frowned at that. "Well I don't think that was the case with you." He shook his head. "The issue with you was that you were known through the medical community locally. My guess is that after awhile and with no evidence there was anything wrong with you you were dismissed as a hypochondriac. Doctors don't much like people who are hypochondriacs because they take up resources and time from those who are truly ill." He smiled at him and patted his knee. "Though with any luck through you I may be able to change things."

Sesshoumaru drew his brows deeply. "What do you mean?"

"Well I'm going to present your case study to the conference and hopefully encourage them to take a closer look when someone like you comes along." He nodded. "Make them realize that all symptoms are not indicative of the most common diseases. Sometimes you need to look outside the spectrum of what you know and take into account it could be something you never thought of."

"Well I hope you can change their perspective." He nodded with a small smile. "I wouldn't want anyone to suffer the way I did before my dad found you."

"Nor do I." He squeezed his knee.

Sesshoumaru looked down at the hand on his knee then over at Naraku before leaning in close to his ear. "I love you." He whispered then planted a quick kiss on his cheek.

Naraku looked over at him wide eyed in shock from him saying and doing that in public.

"Don't get all… NARAKU about it." He waved a dismissive hand through the air. "No one is paying attention to us and if they are who cares. They don't know us, we don't know them, and I'm eighteen after all." He said a little loud with a wink at him.

Naraku sighed deeply and shook his head. "Maybe I should have left you at home after all."

"No." Sesshoumaru shook his head. "I think me coming on this trip is just what we need." He sat back in his seat and smiled. "Just what we need." He agreed with himself.

"Somehow I have a feeling I'm going to regret this." Naraku sighed to himself as he to settled back into his seat wondering just what Sesshoumaru was planning. For whatever it was he was sure he wasn't and was going to like it.

xx

"Why are they having the conference at an airport hotel?" Sesshoumaru questioned rather irritated. "Atlanta is a huge city and they can't get further than a mile away from the airport?"

"It's cheap." Naraku shrugged.

"Even still there's nothing around here close to do." He scowled.

"How do you know?" Naraku questioned with an arched brow as he flipped through the menu to order them dinner.

"I looked it up." He bit out. "The closest thing that I would even be remotely interested in doing here is ten miles away."

Naraku looked over at him. "Oh and what would that one thing be?"

"The Coca-Cola museum." He shrugged. "Though the art museum would be better but that's even further away."

"Have you ever heard of city transit?"

"I am NOT taking the bus through a giant city I don't know and by myself." He scowled. "There's a girl at school who lived here and the first time she came to the city she was pick-pocketed PICK-POCKETED within the FIRST HOUR. I'll probably get kidnapped or killed or something much worse."

"Yes you are rather alluring." Naraku rolled his eyes. "How will the bad guys be able to contain themselves?"

"Again you're not as funny as you think you are." He bit out. "What am I suppose to do all day while you're in conferences?"

"Hang out at the pool." He shrugged. "If not you'll just have to sit in this room until I get done then we'll do something. I took the whole week off so after the conference if you want to stay and see the sights we can. Though after the whole missing school for two days fit you threw maybe going home straight away would be best."

"No it won't." Sesshoumaru shook his head. "I'm here and we're staying." He nodded. "There's a lot of things I want to see and we're going to see them."

"Such as?"

"Well besides the two museums, underground and the aquarium there's Stone Mountain, Ruby Falls, Lanier islands, Centennial Park," he nodded. "all of it."

Naraku narrowed his eyes suspiciously upon him. "For someone who didn't want to come you certainly know a lot about it."

Sesshoumaru just shrugged at him. "I kind of suspected you would make me come whether I wanted to or not so I planned for it."

Naraku shook his head and sighed. "Little brat." He muttered under his breath and went back to looking at the menu for dinner.

xx

Sesshoumaru snapped his eyes open at the loud banging on the door. "Naraku." He hissed and reached for Naraku's side of the bed only to find it empty. By easy process of elimination he easily figured out who was most likely banging on the door.

He quickly got out of bed and over to the door before whoever was banging on the door woke the whole hotel up. A quick peek through the peep hole confirmed who he thought it was causing him to jerk the door open. "What is wrong with you?!" He glared at him. "You have a key."

Naraku looked at him and started giggling. "Keeey."

"Are you drunk?" Sesshoumaru questioned partly confused by Naraku's state partly irritated at Naraku's state.

"Nooo." He shook his head. "I'm Naraku."

Sesshoumaru sighed irritably through his nose before he grabbed the doctor and pulled him into the room letting the door close behind them. "How much have you had to drink?" He questioned as he led him over to the bed and sat him down upon it.

Naraku just stared at and shrugged. "I found my way back." He pointed out with a slur as he swayed to the side.

"I guess." He agreed. "Though what I want to know is WHY are you drunk?"

"First timer." He grinned proudly at him.

He sighed and shook his head. "I swear the more I learn about doctors outside the office the more I'm glad I'm done having to see them." He kneeled down in front of him and took off his shoes. "You do know tomorrow is going to be a long miserable day for you; right?"

"I'm a doctor." He slurred with a grin and mussed up the boy's hair.

"What does that have to do with anything?" He questioned with brows drawn then started unbuttoning his shirt.

Glazed over eyes watched the boy as he smiled at him. "Doctors can cure it allllll!" He waved his arms around him.

"Yea we'll see about that in the morning." Sesshoumaru shook his head and pulled Naraku's shirt off of him. "Stand up." He ordered as he grabbed his hand and pulled him up.

Naraku did as he was told only to sway too far forward causing him to wrap his arms around Sesshoumaru's neck and very nearly take them both down to the floor.

"I'm going to make you pay for this tomorrow." Sesshoumaru hissed as he steadied the man on his feet by gripping him by the hips. "Now hold still." He ordered then began undoing Naraku's pants.

"We can't do that." Naraku whispered as his eyes darted from side to side making him dizzy.

"We're not doing anything." Sesshoumaru hissed and jerked the man's pants down. "I'm putting you to bed." He pushed him back causing him to fall onto he bed and pulled his pants completely off. "Now get in bed and go to sleep."

Naraku wrinkled his nose at the boy before squirming around and making a mess of the bed before finally finding his spot.

"I swear I'm going to gut you." Sesshoumaru glared and jerked all the blankets off the bed in effect flipping Naraku over so he could straighten them out.

"The world is spinning fast." Naraku slurred as he turned on his side to face Sesshoumaru.

"Shut-up." He sighed irritably and covered the doctor before walking around to the other side of the bed and getting in. "Now go to sleep." He ordered putting his back to his bed mate.

"Sessy," Naraku whined as he rolled over and curled up behind the boy draping his arm over his side. "why don't you love me?"

Sesshoumaru sighed deeply. "I do love you. Now go to sleep and in the morning I'll tell you how much I love you if that will make you feel better."

Naraku buried his face into the boy's neck and nuzzled against the smooth expanse of his soft skin. "You're soft." He whispered.

He was getting more irritated by the second at the doctor's behavior. True this was what he wanted more than anything but he didn't want this from him while he was drunk. He wanted it to be special for both of them so they would always remember. "I know." He answered. "Now it's time to sleep and when you wake up again we'll do whatever you want."

"But I want it now." He kissed his neck.

"No."

"Please."

"NO." He rolled over and glared at him. "I mean it Naraku go to sleep. I will not do anything with you while you are drunk."

Naraku frowned. "I'm not that drunk."

"Drunk enough." Sesshoumaru nodded curtly. "Now for the last time go to sleep and when you wake up whatever you want we'll do." He placed a quick kiss on his lips. "Okay?"

Naraku frowned but nodded. "Okay." He pouted and curled the boy tightly against his chest. "My Sessy." He sighed happily before closing his eyes and almost instantly passing out.

Sesshoumaru smiled at that and placed a kiss on Naraku's chest even if he wasn't all that please with Naraku's state or the nickname. Though he would make him pay for both when the man was sober and unsure of why he was being punished.


	27. Chapter 27

Naraku sat on the bed, dropped his head into his hands, and groaned.

"I don't care." Sesshoumaru argued. "You said and I quote; we can do whatever you want when I get done with my meetings."

"That's not what I said." He looked up at the boy who was glaring down at him.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his ambers upon him. "Maybe not in those exact words but you still said that."

"Well then you can't quote me if it's not what I said."

"Don't change the subject." He growled. "Now you said we could go do something when you got done. You're done and we're going." He ordered.

Naraku sighed in defeat. "Very well." He stood up to gather his things so they could go do whatever it was the boy wanted to do. "At least I'll be able to pick something up for this damn headache. So where are we going?"

"The art museum." Sesshoumaru nodded curtly. "And before you even start, no complaining. It'll just make it worse and you'll still do it anyway."

"At least it'll be quiet." Naraku sighed.

"It's your own fault for drinking so much." Sesshoumaru glared at him. "I figured out of anyone you would at least know better."

"I do." He headed for the door with the boy right behind him. "But sometimes you just have to indulge."

"Why?"

Naraku sighed deeply. "Because what fun is life if you're always restraining yourself?" He questioned back as he led them down the hall towards the elevator.

"You don't have to restrain yourself to still have fun in life." Sesshoumaru pointed out. "Life without moderation is madness."

"Who told you that?"

"My dad." He answered curtly. "He was a wise man, the wisest man I know still."

"Oh ho aren't you just the funniest thing ever." He rolled his eyes as he punched the button for the elevators.

"I like to think so." Sesshoumaru looked up at him an nodded. "Especially where your not so funny sense of humor is concerned."

Naraku entered the elevator when the doors opened with the boy right behind him. "Yes, that's why I never hear anyone around you laughing at anything you say." He pointed out punching the button for the first floor. "Then again that would require you to have friends and beyond seeing that girl ONE time I've seen no one else around you."

Sesshoumaru pressed his lips together tightly and scowled. "I told you I don't like people AND I talk to enough of them every day at school. Shouldn't that be enough socialism for one day or even a lifetime?"

"You don't count it by what you've already done." Naraku nodded curtly. "You count it by what you will do."

"That's stupid." He huffed. "Besides whether I talk to people or not shouldn't matter AND," he glared at him. "I'm done having this same conversation with you over and over again."

"Fine." He sighed and exited the elevator. "Let's just get this day over with so I can come back and sleep."

Sesshoumaru glared at him as he followed behind and decided that he was going to drag this day out as long as possible. This would be his punishment for drinking, the stupid nickname, and for being such a drunken tease.

xx

If he could give himself a lethal injection and end it all he would. Sesshoumaru had dragged him all over Atlanta with the only breaks allowed were stopping for a bottle of water. Not only that but most of their sightseeing was wandering through the heart of the city window shopping.

How he got talked into this he'll never know but one thing was for certain he was ready to call it a day. No amount of aspirin was helping his headache or the ache in his feet from walking so much. Not only that but he was damn well starving and running on his last bit of patience.

"Boy," he glared when he looked up at him ambers narrowed suspiciously. "we're stopping at the next restaurant we come to and I won't hear a word otherwise."

Sesshoumaru shrugged at him and kept walking with a smirk on his lips. For a brainy doctor Naraku in his hung over state was a moron. He had been leading the doctor around the same four blocks all morning. It was tiresome, however, since the places he really wanted to see didn't open until later in the morning he had to kill time somehow. So why not walk Naraku to death and punish him for his behavior last night. Although he was sure this would be a lot funner if Naraku knew he was being punished and how.

"How about here?" Sesshoumaru questioned, stopping in front of the bagel shop.

"Fine." Naraku nodded curtly and entered the shop with Sesshoumaru following right behind him.

They made their orders and as they were paying Sesshoumaru suddenly wanted to slap the cashier across her face.

"Wow, you must have worked up an appetite after all that walking." She smiled brightly at Naraku.

"Pardon?" He arched a dark brow at her.

"Noth…" Sesshoumaru tried to intervene only to have the little twit cut him off.

"Yea, I saw you two walking by when I came to work this morning." She nodded at the doctor. "I remember because I remember thinking what a handsome man you are. Then I saw you walk by again and about every twenty minutes after that you would walk past again."

"Is that so?" Naraku glared over at Sesshoumaru only to find the boy completely entranced in a picture hanging on the wall.

"I really kept hoping you would come in here every time you walked by so I could meet you." She blushed.

He took his eyes off the boy and looked back at her. "Well it's a pleasure." He smiled at her though he didn't much feel like smiling at all. What he really felt like doing was taking Sesshoumaru back to the hotel and putting him over his knee.

"Um… so… do you live here?" She questioned nervously.

"No, we're just here visiting for a few days then we're headed back home." He nodded.

"Oh." She frowned then suddenly smiled up at him. "Well have a good trip then."

"Thanks." He nodded then turned to the boy who was sitting a table surrounded by other patrons. Oh he was a clever little snot he had to give him that. Sitting somewhere where he wouldn't make a scene. Yet that was only going to be temporary because they couldn't stay there forever. Eventually they would be alone and when they were he was going to be sorry.

He set their order down on the table then took the seat across from him. "Morning strolls are lovely; aren't they?" He questioned with a bite to his voice.

"I've always thought so." Sesshoumaru shrugged dismissively. "It's good for getting the alcohol out of your blood," he turned and glared at him. "and it helps work off the sexual tension."

Naraku's eyes narrowed even further. "Is that what this is about? Payback for last night?"

"You're good." Sesshoumaru picked up his bagel. "Surprised you even remember, being the drunken slob you are."

"Oh I remember quite well." He nodded with a sigh. "I'm also surprised you stopped it."

"Because I don't want some drunken fling you'll regret later." He bit out. "I want it to be special because you want it like I want it." His ambers narrowed deeply. "I find it rather funny you give me this big lecture about being with you and why we have to wait. Yet you have no problems throwing yourself at me the first chance you get when you have an excuse to do so."

Naraku arched a brow at that. "You think I threw myself at you because I was drunk?"

"Think? You did." He scowled. "Why are you saying that you weren't drunk? Are you trying to tell me you just used it as an excuse?"

"No, I did have a bit too much to drink." He shrugged. "However, that doesn't mean I was so far gone as to forget. Like I said I find it curious you stopped what you wanted."

"Again I want special." He glared at him. "And when the time comes that's exactly what it's going to be!"

Naraku sighed deeply to himself. If truth were to be known, last night he was really hoping Sesshoumaru would give in. He would finally get to feel Sesshoumaru like he had been dreaming of doing and Sesshoumaru would get what he wanted. Then the next day he could pretend he didn't remember due to his drunken state and all would be mostly okay. It would be just a drunken mistake. Leave it to Sesshoumaru to get all girly on him and want it to be special.

"So when you say special, exactly what are we talking here?" He arched a dark brow highly at him.

"I don't know." Sesshoumaru shrugged. "When the time is right it'll happen and it will happen because it will be special." He then stared at him suspiciously. "Are you saying you want to do it while we're here?"

"Not at all." He quickly answered. "I was just curious."

Deep ambers narrowed deeply. "Why does it feel like you're either lying or keeping something back?" He questioned suspiciously.

"You just think that because you're a suspicious person by nature." Naraku shrugged.

"I am not!" He hissed. "Now do you or do you not want to do IT with me while we are here?"

Naraku could feel a few eyes on the two of them from some of the people nearby. If the boy was going to make a scene then he was going to really make a scene about it. "And exactly what do you mean by it?" He questioned a little loudly with a smirk.

"You know exactly what I mean." Sesshoumaru bit out quietly.

Naraku set his elbow on the table and rested his chin in his palm. "Actually I don't think I do. Why don't you just tell me so I know what you're talking about."

Sesshoumaru realized what Naraku was doing rather quickly, especially with that mocking glint in his eyes. Oh if he wanted to play then he would play. "Alright I will tell you what I'm talking about." An evil smirk tugged on his lips. "I'm talking about us and you finally telling your wife that we're together." He crossed his arms over his chest superiorly. "You need to tell her that you want a divorce and that these last few years have been nothing but a sham."

Naraku jerked back and widened his eyes hugely at the boy. A quick glance around discovered that almost everyone around them was staring at them expectantly. He chuckled nervously and jabbed his fingers through his hair. "You're funny."

"No I'm not." Sesshoumaru nodded curtly. "I'm dead serious. It's time for you to choose, me or her." His ambers glinted deadly. "And it damn well better be me after all we've been through since we met. All those days in class as my teacher, it was so hard not to throw myself at you when you would give me THAT look."

Naraku very nearly choked on his own spit at that.

Sesshoumaru leaned across the table until they were nose to nose. "Now kiss me and tell me that you love me and that you'll tell your wife about us tonight."

Naraku stared into those deep golden eyes and even though he knew the boy was mocking him he could see the hope that he would in fact kiss him. He was so tempted to do just that too but with so many people looking at them he couldn't. "Actually I brought you here to tell you I found another and that I'm ending it with both you and my wife." He smirked when Sesshoumaru's eyes widened hugely.

"I hate you." Sesshoumaru huffed and plopped back into his chair. "Let's just forget it," he suddenly smirked at him. "DAD." He said rather loudly causing a few people around them widen their eyes. "Mom knows about us anyway and she doesn't care since she's doing the neighbor down the street."

Naraku coughed to cover up the chuckle that was about to escape his lips. This was getting way out of control but entertaining. All these people were going to have one hell of a story to talk about later. "I can't help it if you're more alluring and feminine than your mother." He smirked at him. "If your mother had legs like yours…" He trailed off with a leering look at the boy.

"Are you saying I have girly legs?" He demanded getting very defensive.

"Just calling it as I see it." Naraku shrugged. "Actually it's not just the legs, you have that womanly hourglass figure a lot of men love." He drew his brows thoughtfully. "Maybe you should have been born a girl."

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened hugely. "You better be joking." He hissed coldly.

Naraku just smirked at him as his eyes glinted.

Sesshoumaru picked up the message loud and clear from the look on the doctors face. He started it and Naraku was only finishing what he started therefore he had no one to blame but himself. "You'll regret this." He growled with one more glare at the doctor before he picked up his bagel and took an angry bite vowing to get him back good for this.


End file.
